Businesses Brace for H1N1 Impact

    While confirmed human cases of influenza A (H1N1) have not been found on the mainland so far, the business community here is preparing for the worst and introducing precautions against the potential outbreak of the disease.

    Travel agencies and hotels have been among the hardest-hit sectors of the business community and many in Shanghai are now beefing up their hygiene management and emergency controls to ensure the safety of customers after experiencing a drop in bookings.

    According to Zhou Yinfeng, general manager of the outbound division of Shanghai CYTS Tours Corporation, about 10 percent of outbound tourists have cancelled their trips in the past three days, citing the virus as their main concern.

    "People are generally less inclined to travel, even though their destinations are not within the affected areas," Zhou said.

    "What we do is to spend more time telling them the real situation of the epidemic, while also stepping up precautions to ensure safety for them."

    He said that the company now provides face masks and thermometers to tourists bound for overseas destinations, and each tourist guide is required to report regularly to the headquarters on the health condition of the travelers.

    Michelle Chong, communications manager of Renaissance Yangtze Shanghai Hotel under Marriott Group, said the hotel has been keeping a close eye on the outbreak while putting in place procedures necessary to deal with the virus.

    She said the hotel had procured "enough masks and gloves" to be ready in the event of an outbreak.

    In the meantime, workers are being reminded about good hygiene, both personal and in the workplace. Employees frequently clean areas such as handrails, telephones, door handles, elevator buttons and fitness center equipment.

    Carson C. Block, owner of a storage service company in Shanghai, said he is worried about his business, even though it is not directly influenced by the disease in the way hotels and travel agencies are.

    "Should the situation continue to worsen with fewer people going out, there surely would be a decrease in our revenue," he said, adding that the safety of his staff in the face of the spreading virus is his primary concern. He said he now asks them to clean their workstations with alcohol four times a day.

    But Warren Bock, business development director of Scandic Sourcing, a China-based sourcing company for Scandinavian companies, said his business had actually received a boost from the epidemic.

    He said more clients are now asking him to do product sourcing in China because they are less willing to travel.

    "With the economic downturn, people are less likely to travel, and find us a cheaper solution," he said. "Now, with this flu affecting people's traveling plans even more so, it is even better for us to help with their production."

(Source: China Daily)