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Shanghai Disney Resort Offers Refunds as China Virus Fears Grow

Shanghai Disney Resort Offers Refunds as China Virus Fears Grow

(Bloomberg) -- Shanghai Disney Resort is offering to reschedule or refund entry tickets as well as hotel bookings at its theme park in the Chinese city, as global concern grows about a new SARS-like virus outbreak that’s killed 17 people and infected hundreds.

Guests can choose to change their bookings to any other day within the next six months or get their money back if they cannot visit within that time frame, the theme park said in a Jan. 23 statement on its website.

The statement did not refer to the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, the infection’s epicenter around 690 kilometers away, where authorities have suspended outbound travel. China has confirmed 571 cases of the infection that has also spread to Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the U.S. Chinese tourist attractions will likely be significantly less crowded than usual as a result of the outbreak, dealing a blow to the economy during the Lunar New Year period which is a peak for consumer spending.

“We understand that in recent days some guests may wish to change their travel plans,” the company said. “Shanghai Disney Resort is operating normally and we welcome your visit, but we do understand if you wish to change your plans.”

InterContinental Hotels Group Plc is also allowing its guests to change or cancel their hotel reservations across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The cancellations can be made “without financial penalty” for bookings between Jan. 23 and Feb. 3, a spokeswoman for the hotel chain said in an email Thursday.

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. is also waiving rebooking, rerouting and refund charges for all tickets issued before Jan. 21 for travel to or from Wuhan between Jan. 21 and Feb. 15. Cathay Dragon has suspended flights to and from Wuhan from Friday until Feb. 29, the airline said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregor Stuart Hunter in Hong Kong at ghunter21@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Christopher Anstey at canstey@bloomberg.net, ;Rachel Chang at wchang98@bloomberg.net, Bhuma Shrivastava, Sam Nagarajan

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