After the tragic 12-hour hostage drama at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila that held captive 21 Chinese tourists, nine of them found dead in the hijacked tourist bus, the Philippines is again faced with a major tourism setback involving safety of foreign inbound tourists.

Department of Tourism (DoT) spokesperson and assistant secretary Bong Bengson said the DoT is monitoring reports of confirmed cancellations or change of itinerary in Hong Kong (HK) and other countries after the HK government issued a top level black travel alert for the Philippines.

However, Bengson explained that tour cancellations are of least concern for DoT as of the moment.

“Our main concern now is to extend help and support to the surviving victims. The DoT has mobilized resources to oversee the comfort and safe return of the tourists to Hong Kong,” Bengson said.

In a statement issued by the Department of Tourism (DoT), the department extends its deep and sincere sympathies to the families of the victims. During the early negotiations, DoT took charge of the seven Chinese tourists and two Filipinos and had a Help Desk set up at the Manila Pavilion Hotel to monitor their needs.

To address the top-level black level travel alert issued by the Hong Kong government, Bengson said the department is coordinating with the DoT office in Hong Kong to extend necessary assistance. As of the lifting of the travel alert, Bengson explained that the matter depends on the ruling of the Hong Kong Government.

Relatedly, the business community warned Tuesday that the hostage drama will have short-term negative effects on the country's tourism industry.

Ramon R. del Rosario Jr., Makati Business Club chairman, said the hijacking is major blow on government efforts to boost tourism, however, it should have no other impact on the overall economy.

“I hope the government will not overreact and impose general travel restrictions on travel to the Philippines when unfortunate events like these are isolated incidents that can happen anywhere,” Del Rosario said.

Meanwhile, Astro del Castillo, Association of Stock Market Analysts of the Philippines director, said negative impact is geared more towards the tourism industry and not on the overall economy of the Philippines.

Del Castillo said the market has its own fundamentals to brag about as corporate numbers and the country's economic data continue to improve.

However, Ambassador and Zest-Air President and Chief Executive Alfredo M. Yao admitted that the Monday's incident in Manila will definitely affect the country's tourism sector, “it's up to us how to handle and salvage the situation. I hope it will be over soonest.”

Former Citi banker and currently Eton Properties Philippines, Incorporated President Danilo E. Ignacio also said the effects of the hijacking incident in the country's capital city should be minimal.

SM Investments Corporation Hotel Investment Group Senior Vice President Merril F. Yu, meanwhile, said he supports the government's efforts in handling the painful moment.

“Our nations richness in good and hospitable people, diversity in resources will preserve us through,” Yu said.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said the hijacking is an “isolated incident and should have no impact on the market and confidence.”

“The issue is individual and not political,” Purisima said. “The police authorities are handling this.”

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., however, said the hijacking “would not significantly affect markets in general.”

As this developed, in light of the tragic outcome to the tourist bus hostage drama in Manila, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region issued on Tuesday the Black Outbound Travel Alert for the Philippines - the highest level of Hong Kong's three-tier Outbound Travel Alert system, indicating a “severe threat” exists and all travel to the destination should be avoided.

The government also said it called on all Hong Kong tour members in the Philippines to return home as soon as possible.

Travel agencies said the incident will deal a major blow to Philippine tourism after all tours to the country were immediately called off.

"A serious kidnapping incident happened in the Philippines. Residents should avoid all travel to the country; those who are already there should attend to their personal safety and exercise caution," the government statement said.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said 80 holidaymakers from four tours - three from Hong Thai Travel and the other from Smart Holiday - will return to Hong Kong by Thursday. Nine Philippines-bound tours involving about 150 clients scheduled to depart between today (August 25) and September 8 will be called off, he said.

All government offices in Hong Kong have lowered flags at half- mast to mourn the Hong Kong tourists killed in the abduction tragedy in the Philippines.

The death toll has now climbed to nine, with another hostage dying from injuries in hospital. Six people are still being treated in other hospitals in Manila. A special plane carrying officials from Hong Kong government departments and family members of those died have arrived in Manila.

The Philippine flag at the Department of Foreign Affairs has also been lowered at half-mast in memory of the lives lost.

However, despite the Black Outbound Travel Alert for the Philippines issued by Hong Kong, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Taiwan said it has no immediate plans so far to raise the travel alert from gray to yellow but will closely monitor the situation.

A gray light is the lowest of the four-level travel warning system used by MOFA and advises travelers to take precautions to the region. A yellow light is the next level up and asks travelers to take extra precautions and make a careful evaluation of the necessity of traveling to the destination.

MOFA spokesman Henry Chen said the ministry made immediate contact with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines following the incident and made sure no Taiwanese nationals were injured in the incident. Philippines-based Taiwanese businessmen have also been accounted for, Chen said.

The United States Embassy expressed condolences to the families of the eight tourists killed in the hostage crisis.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrible incident and their families," US Embassy spokesperson Rebecca Thompson said in a text message to the Manila Bulletin. "We condemn this terrible act and the harm it has caused for innocent people."

Meanwhile, in Cebu City, tourism stakeholders and tour operators have expressed worries about the expected negative effects of last Monday’s hostage drama on the local tourism industry.

Jenny Franco, Chairman of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAs) in Cebu, said the industry will surely be pummeled following the hostage crisis that involved Hong Kong tourists.

“We got back our tourists after exerting so much efforts following the Abu Sayaff crisis in Mindanao and now we will definitely go back to scratch with the hostage incident in Manila,” Franco said during the weekly 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel. (with reports by Chino Leyco, Roy Mabasa and Mars Mosqueda Jr.)