Press Digest: Paris attacks will impact Europe tourism

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) believes the terror attacks in Paris would deal a blow to Europe's tourism, which is entering its year-end peak season.
It added that more stringent security checks in the wake of the attacks would inconvenience tour groups, Nanyang Siang Pau reported today.
MCTA honorary secretary Nelson Lee Chean Chai told the daily that many Malaysians like to visit European countries during November and December for the winter experience and this is usually a peak tourism season.
"The attacks are regrettable. Our hearts are with the Parisians.
"The attacks will definitely have an impact on our tour operators but I believe that given their long experience in this line, they can deal with the situation well," he said.
Lee's immediate concern is that tighter security checks at airports and border checkpoints may cause delays and disrupt tour itineraries as most European tours involved itineraries across four to five countries.
MCTA has some 600 members, with 40% of them operating tours to European countries.
Lee said that so far, the association has yet to receive any report of people pulling out of tours planned for the next two months.
However, he believed some may want to withdraw or postpone their trips, and said operators would respect their clients' choices and try to accommodate their wishes by working closely with their counterparts in Europe and the airlines.
He said operators would usually encourage tourists to postpone their trips rather than cancel their bookings as the operators would have already made advance payment for flight and hotel accommodation.
Nevertheless, if customers insist on a refund, the operators would respect their choice.