The Tourism Commission expressed concern about reports of Mainland inbound tour groups seeking medical attention at hospital owing to suspected food poisoning today and immediately contacted the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) to understand the situation and provide assistance to the visitors concerned.

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Kevin Yeung attaches great importance to the well-being of visitors to Hong Kong. In light of two recent incidents involving suspected food poisoning of visitors, the commission has instructed the TIA to gather information on the incident and co-operate with the Centre for Food Safety in its investigations.

The commission has also directed the TIA to promptly contact the travel agent concerned and other travel agents arranging Mainland inbound tour group visits to the relevant restaurants on the same day to understand more about the situation.

The authority noted that today’s incident involved two Mainland inbound tour groups organised by the same travel agent, both of which visited two restaurants in Kowloon City that receive Mainland tour groups, while some tour members had also consumed food they brought themselves.

It has also contacted another 68 travel agents that had organised visits of other tour groups to these two restaurants and confirmed that, save for 11 individuals from the two tour groups feeling unwell, all other members of the two groups and other tour groups have not exhibited similar symptoms.

The TIA has sent representatives to Queen Elizabeth Hospital to understand the situation and provide assistance to the affected visitors.

It reminded the travel agents and restaurant operators receiving Mainland inbound tour groups to be vigilant and ensure food and environmental hygiene, as well as visitors to pay attention to personal, food and environmental hygiene.