The stranding of 44 Hongkongers on the mainland and the threat of more blizzards there has some in the travel industry worried that tours scheduled for next week's lunar new year holiday may be canceled.

On top of that, mainland blizzards are also wreaking havoc on food shipments to Hong Kong.

Travelers wait for a train to the mainland at the MTRC Hung Hom station yesterday. Forecasters predict that bad weather and snow on the mainland will continue into next week, possibly disrupting holiday travel plans. Edmond Tang

Hong Kong Travel Industry Council Chief Executive Joseph Tung said the council doesn't know exactly how many tours have been affected thus far, but he believes the number is low because it's not currently the peak travel season.

However, he is concerned that tours departing on Monday - the start of the peak season - may never leave Hong Kong if the mainland blizzards continue.

Several travelers inquired as to whether their plans will be affected, but it's simply too early to know for sure.

Tung said the council is working on contingency arrangments with travel agencies and airliners.

Even the through-train service between Hong Kong and the major mainland cities have been delayed by storms the past few days.

The 44 stranded Hongkongers were forced to stay on the mainland overnight yesterday, but all are expected to return today.

They had all joined tours organized by Hong Tai Travel Services. The agency's deputy general manager, Daniel Chan, said 19 travelers to Hangzhou and 23 travelers to Nanjing were affected.

Chan said it was because some Hangzhou roads were blocked and the Nanjing airport was forced to close.

Other agencies are also preparing for potential cancellations next week.

Alcuin Li, general manager of Sunflower Travel Service said itineraries will be adjusted if the bad weather continues, and Wing On Travel Service CEO Lanny Leung said the company has contingency plans as well.

Meanwhile, fresh food supplies are becoming slightly more scarce from the storms.

There were just 3,400 pigs shipped to Hong Kong yesterday, about 1,800 fewer than expected by the Ministry of Commerce.

A similar reduced shipment is expected today, and prices could be 10 percent higher, according to Secretary for Food & Hygiene York Chow.

Vegetable vendors were also reported as saying produce was more expensive and the quality wasn't as good because of the cold snap.

(HK Edition 01/29/2008 page1)