Sars crisis sparks eco tour surge.

(From The Standard)

Byline: Grace Lam

Hong Kong people are turning to nature-based tours as they became more health conscious.

Demand for green tours has soared since the Sars outbreak, and led to the rise of small travel agencies specialising in these tours.

``Eco tours have became a hit since the Sars outbreak . . . there are obviously more commercial travel agencies going into the business,'' Hong Kong Ecotourism Society executive director Alexander Yan said.

The society, set up five years ago by a group of experienced hikers and amateur botanists, organises at least 10 tours a month, seven or eight of which are for schools. …