Tour operators are expecting a surge of bookings to China and Hong Kong which were declared Sars-free zones last week by the World Health Organisation. Travel to Kenya is also predicted to pick up after the Foreign Office lifted advice against holiday travel there due to fears of terrorism.
Normal flight services and tours to China are gradually returning. The FO lifted its advice that the British public should defer travel to Beijing last Tuesday bringing to an end the Sars-related restriction of travel to the Far East.
Services have been resumed to Hong Kong after it was removed from the WHO list of Sars affected areas last Monday.
'Leisure travel to Hong Kong practically halted during the crisis,' said a spokesperson for luxury tour operator Kuoni (01306 747008).
It is offering discounts of up to 41 per cent in an effort to get Sars-shy travellers back to Hong Kong - five nights' four-star stay on the Hong Kong harbour front, including flights, costs £655, a discount of £464.
Cathay Pacific (020 7747 8888) has launched a 'Visit Hong Kong Now' series of six special three-night breaks for two in August and September, from £290 per person on bookings through travel agents made by 7 July.
British Airways (0845 773 3377) which last week resumed its normal twice-daily Heathrow to Hong Kong service (after months of flying via Bangkok once daily) has so far retained the low fares of £359 including taxes, to encourage travel.
Visitor numbers to China plummeted by 94 per cent during the two months in which travel to Beijing, an important tourist hub, was advised against.
Travelsphere (01858 410818), which is the single largest UK operator to China, has resumed its entire programme there. 'We are absolutely delighted by the lifting of the advice,' said a spokesperson. 'China is a beautiful and diverse country that our clients are thoroughly excited to be visiting.'
However, the company will wait to see if demand fails to return before lowering prices.
BA will reinstate direct Beijing flights from 21 July, currently they go via Seoul. Lufthansa (0845 7737 747) will resume daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong from Tuesday.
Bales Worldwide (0870 241 3208) has started selling holidays at its normal prices, because the interest in China has never gone away. A spokesperson said: 'We are playing the price thing by ear because before the Sars epidemic it was going to be a fantastic year.
'It depends how quickly people start saying we do want to go this year - if there's the rush we expect there won't be any discounts.'
BA is planning to resume its direct daily service between London and Nairobi after the Department of Transport accepted last Thursday that the Kenyan authorities' security measures were sufficient. Charter flights to Mombasa are expected to resume too.
Stuart Britton of Somak Holidays (020 8423 3000) said: 'We are delighted that this has happened, and still confused as to why the advice was in place for so long.
'I have just returned from the country and seen first-hand the devastating affect that the ban on travel has had on the Kenyan people.
'Kenya will be able to bounce back just in time for the high season of July - we do expect the masses to flood back.'
