NO Shenzhen tourists have been stranded in New Zealand following the earthquake in Christchurch on the South Island which left at least 75 people dead.
The city s tourism authority had contacted local travel agencies but there were no tour groups in Christchurch, one of New Zealand s biggest cities, the tourism authority said Tuesday.
The earthquake forced a tourist group bound for Chirstchurch to change the route, said Song Qiang, general manager of International Travel Service of China Merchants.
There are only 10 people in the group, which should have departed yesterday. They changed the route after learning of the earthquake, Song said. They are expected to return from New Zealand in early March.
According to Han Chen, manager of Eachtravel of Shenzhen International Travel Service, Christchurch was not a popular destination for Shenzhen travelers.
There were four Hong Kong tour groups in New Zealand but they were not affected by the earthquake, according to Hong Kong Travel Industry Council Executive Director Joseph Tung Yao-chung.
It was reported that the Hong Kong Immigration Department received a phone call for help from a mother whose daughter was studying in New Zealand. The Hong Kong government had contacted the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand for the matter.
(Han Ximin)
