KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: The flu outbreak in Hong Kong has not stopped Malaysians from planning their holidays there, as they deem the issue a minor one.

C.S. Holidays Sdn Bhd assistant tour manager Mazidah Abdul Razak said: "We are fully booked for trips to Hong Kong for this school holidays. No one has asked about the flu situation and we have not received any cancellations either."

Interviewed at Matta Fair held at the Putra World Trade Centre here, he said the travel agency, which worked closely with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, had not received any urgent report regarding the flu outbreak.

A public relations manager, who wanted to be known only as Hisham, said he would go ahead with his plans to visit Hong Kong in the next few weeks.

"I'm not terribly worried," he said, adding that the even the bird flu no longer seemed as threatening as people realised there was nothing to fear.

Draftswoman Eileen Chong, 43, said she was excited about going to Hong Kong for the first time.

"I've already confirmed my flight and hotel bookings. Unless the outbreak turns serious like the previous Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, I don't see any reason to cancel my holiday," Chong said.

Matta secretary-general Terence Oh said that the flu issue was not something to worry about.

"Tourists usually stay at good hotels and visit tourist spots when they're overseas, so I believe the outbreak will not affect them," Oh said.

At the Matta Perak Travel Fair in Ipoh, its chairman Monica Liew said the flu outbreak in Hong Kong would not affect sales because there were other destinations to promote.

"We have so many other good bargains and special fares to other countries like South Korea and Japan," she said.

It was reported that the flu outbreak in Hong Kong had left four children dead and all primary schools and kindergartens had been closed for safety measures.