"First Customer Finds Bedbugs in Korea, Hong Kong Travel Agency Offers Partial Refund with Unprecedented Terms"

"With the Purpose of Reassuring Customers"

As bedbug fears spread worldwide, a travel agency in Hong Kong announced that it will refund part of the travel expenses to the first customer who discovers bedbugs during a trip to Korea.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 22nd, the Hong Kong travel agency Wing On Travel Service (Wing On Travel) announced that from next month 1st to February 29th next year, the first customer who finds live bedbugs in hotels, buses, restaurants, etc. during a trip to Korea will receive a partial refund of their travel expenses upon returning home. It added that the discovery must be confirmed by travel agency staff such as guides or bus drivers.

There is a promotional poster about bedbugs posted in the Yeongdeungpo jjokbangchon area of Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho jun21@

Wing On Travel explained that this measure is intended "to reassure customers and to show that all our service partners are carefully inspecting to comply with hygiene regulations." Wing On Travel is the first Hong Kong travel agency to offer such a refund policy.

On the other hand, Hong Kong travel agency EGL stated that no bedbugs have been found in the trips conducted so far and said, "We believe the bedbug issue has already passed, and the number of booked customers has returned to normal." The agency also stated that it will continue to closely inspect the hygiene of hotels and buses.

Additionally, travel agency WWPKG said it is taking extra measures such as providing disinfectant sprays to employees and checking the cleanliness of hotels and buses.

'Bedbug Anxiety' Causes 172-Fold Surge in Insecticide Sales in Hong Kong

On the morning of the 17th, airport officials are conducting bedbug disinfection in the transfer lounge of Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, fears of bedbug outbreaks originating from overseas have led to a surge in insecticide sales and pest control reservations.

Hong Kong e-commerce platform Shopline reported that during the Double 11 shopping festival on the 11th and 12th, sales of pest control products and bedbug insecticides increased by 172 times. One seller reportedly sold HKD 2 million (about 340 million KRW) worth of bedbug prevention travel kits in a single day due to their popularity.

Shopline told SCMP, "This shows a significant level of concern among Hong Kong citizens about the widespread bedbug problem and a proactive effort to prevent bedbug infestations."

Inquiries for pest control company reservations have also surged. Henry Cheng, a consultant at Ivy Pest Control in Hong Kong, said, "We usually receive 8 to 10 pest control service requests per month, but this month we have already exceeded 20."

However, Hong Kong experts pointed out that Hong Kong’s dense population, small land area, and hot, humid climate create an ideal environment for bedbugs, and that bedbugs have always been common in Hong Kong.

Professor Chu Shui from the Chinese University of Hong Kong appeared on Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK and said, "Bedbugs are already common in Hong Kong. When we conducted a survey in 2021, one-sixth of respondents said they had found bedbugs in their homes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.