The escalating riots in Paris have encouraged a growing number of tourists in Shanghai to cancel their trips, causing hefty losses to travel agencies, today's Shanghai Morning Post reported.

France has announced a national state of emergency, increasing the concerns of Shanghai tourists planning tours there. Some 44 tourists with several local travel agencies wanted to cancel their tours.

The National Tourism Administration hasn't as yet issued warnings advising against travel to France, so travel agencies will continue to organize tours for the time-being. However, if fewer people sign-up, tours to France will be cancelled, according to several agencies.

"We have helped 36 tourists in our two package tours to cancel their tours to France," said Wang Yan, general manager with a tour company affiliated to Shanghai Airlines Tours International Co Ltd. Tourists canceling their tours, especially at the last minute, have brought much trouble to travel agencies.

For example, a tour to France and Italy, priced at 14,500 yuan (US$1,788) set off yesterday, and by the eve of departure, agencies had paid around 8,000 yuan in advance including visa fees, air-ticket deposits, premiums and hotel costs. According to tourist contracts, travelers who cancel their tours on the eve of departure are required to pay 10 percent of the fee as a penalty and also the costs incurred by the agencies as well, or around 9,000 yuan in total.

However, tourists will never agree to bear all the losses so the agencies have to compromise finally, said an industry analyst. "If the National Tourism Administration issues official warnings, we can attempt to get part of the money back from our European partners and the airlines. Now, however, we are the biggest loser," he said.

The National Tourism Administration has only issued such a warning when the SARS epidemic broke out, but allowed travel agencies to decide for themselves even in such recent disasters as the Asian tsunami and earthquake in Kashmir.

(Shanghai Daily November 11, 2005)