Travel agencies in Shanghai are keeping a close eye on the unrest in suburban areas of Paris, and no package tours to Europe have been cancelled to date, today's Youth Daily reported.

The escalating riots in Paris have encouraged many countries such as the US, UK and Russia to ask their citizens not to travel to the affected areas.

Currently, no package tours offered in Shanghai have been affected, and the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission hasn't issued a travel advisory on tours to Paris.

Many local agencies have contacted their partners in Paris and are keeping an eye on the situation there.

"Our package tours to Europe are running normally, but if the unrest spreads to the city centre, we will change our itineraries promptly," said a spokesman for Shanghai CYTS Tour Corporation, adding that upon arrival in Paris, tourists will be warned not to go out alone or at night.

Most package tours to Europe feature group activities, so they are not dangerous, said Zhao, a manager with the Shanghai Jinjiang International Travel Co Ltd.

Ctrip, China's largest online travel site, added warnings on its tourism itineraries to Europe yesterday. Tourists who have booked European tours are not as yet allowed to cancel them, due to the high air-ticket costs involved. 

(Shanghai Daily November 8, 2005)