In response to the coronavirus crisis which has severely affected travel demand during the peak Lunar New Year season, Trip.com Group has launched a “Safeguard Cancellation Guarantee” initiative.
The company, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and announced ambitious plans to expand globally, is asking global operators to offer a free cancellation policy for customers who have booked travel plans with a check-in date through early February.
Calling it “a responsible response to this developing crisis”, it said that at present, 37 global airlines (including Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines) and over 10 hotel brands (including Hilton, Shangri-La, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott, Hyatt, Accor, Melia, Jumeirah) are participating in this initiative.
The statement, issued on the third day of Lunar New Year, “This is in a joint measure better to guarantee response to requests for changes in travel plans from travellers China outbound to global destinations during this difficult situation. We expect more of our valued partners to follow suit and join the “Cancellation Guarantee” initiative in order to offer full support to customers.
“We expect that all travel industry leaders (airlines, hotels, local service providers) should allow the delay of the trip until the disease in under control, or full refund to customers who have been suffering from the epidemic situation.”
Giving an update on the situation, the statement said, “As of Jan 26, a new strain of coronavirus originating in Wuhan has killed 49 people and infected at least 2,000 others in 31 provinces in Mainland China. Over 30 provinces have been placed on high-level public health emergency response.
“Travel restrictions have been imposed, tourist attractions closed and public entertainments have been cancelled: controlling the movement of people and closing-off avenues for the disease to proliferate, thus restricting the spread of the virus to the greatest possible extent.
“A number of cases of infection have been recorded in more than 10 other regions and countries, including diagnosed cases in France, Australia, Canada, the USA, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.”
Acknowledging that the situation is “gradually becoming one of international concern”, it reported that the China Civil Aviation Administration has authorised airlines and agencies to provide full refunds to passengers for civil aviation tickets already purchased.
The China Ministry of Culture and Tourism has also required all travel agencies temporarily to suspend the sale of group tours and “flight + hotel” travel products.
It added, “The outbreak of this new strain of coronavirus has severely impacted travel plans.”
Said Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun, “Your participation will contribute to global efforts to control and prevent the spread of the disease, and will also be sincerely appreciated by the international community,” adding, “Let us come together and work as one cohesive unit and play our part in reducing the spread of the coronavirus.”
The new viral scare couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Lunar New Year is peak travel season with millions upon millions of Chinese travellers either heading home for the festivities or travelling abroad for holidays.
Bringing back memories of the 2003 SARS crisis which put a severe dent on travel demand for several months, it is hoped lessons have been learnt from the first incident and that this latest outbreak can be contained sooner rather than later.
The good news is, industry players seem better prepared to handle the crisis this time round. Speaking to hoteliers in Singapore, all have placed emergency response protocol in place – the first two cases were reported in two hotels on Sentosa and authorities moved swiftly to contain the cases.
“Let’s just hope this blows over soon but in the meantime, we are as prepared as we can be,” said one general manager.
• Featured image credit: Casper1774Studio/Getty Images
