Family members of the Hong Kong tourists killed in the balloon accident in Egypt last month complained in a press conference on Tuesday that the travel agent said the tour package included breakfast and insurance, but the insurance company insists the hot air balloon flight is an aerial activity, which is not covered by the insurance policy, and refused to pay. Authorities concerned are therefore obligated to find out why the travel agent and insurance company are not on the same page in this case and step up the regulation of promotional literature for tourist insurance and tours that include high-risk activities so that people can learn all about the insurance policy that comes with the package before purchasing it. It's their right and the government must ensure they are properly protected.

The victims paid $190 each for the fatal balloon flight and had been told the sum included insurance, but now the travel agent can only seek compensation for the victims' families through the Egyptian government. The agent claims in its promotional leaflet that the price of the tour package includes insurance for the balloon ride, which is why the customers believed they were covered by the insurance policy. As it turned out, the agent not only failed to provide adequate insurance for the balloon flight, but is also suspected of misleading customers into participating in dangerous activities without proper assurance.

Many travel agents insisted the tour packages included insurance in order to sell as many as possible, but did not give customers all the details of the insurance policies. This left tourists in the dark until after the accident happened, when they were told the risky activity was not covered by the policy they bought. Therefore, authorities concerned must strengthen the regulation of tourist insurance promotions to prevent misinformation and/or disinformation in such writings.

This is an excerpted translation of a Wen Wei Po editorial published on March 13.

(HK Edition 03/14/2013 page1)