How to make money from traveling with zero negative group fees?

On September 28, for a two-day tour of a 5A-level scenic spot, the lowest price for a "pure play group" was 1,680 yuan, and a "shopping group" was only 380 yuan, of which more than 200 yuan was for admission, which means less than 150 yuan. The fee of RMB includes one night's accommodation and three meals. What kind of "mystery" is hidden in such a price difference? Reporters recently went to many places to investigate the issue of zero-negative tour fees.

Two sidesteps "cleverly" circumvented the tourism law

As a self-driving tourist, the reporter went to the reception desk of a branch of a large domestic travel agency to inquire about a two-day tour of a 5A-level scenic spot. The receptionist said that the lowest price for a "pure tour" is 1,680 yuan; the lowest price for a "quality tour" is 720 yuan, but "you must cooperate with the tour guide to enter each store and supermarket", which is a tourist shopping store and a local specialty supermarket.

The Tourism Law stipulates that travel agencies that organize and receive tourists are not allowed to designate specific shopping venues or arrange additional paid tours. However, this is excepted if it is agreed upon by both parties or requested by the tourist and does not affect the itinerary arrangements of other tourists.

According to industry insiders, the so-called zero-negative tour fee means that travel agencies make no profit when picking up a group and only charge the cost price, or even accept customers below the cost price.

The reporter found that the first sidestep made by the zero-negative tour group organization was: it did not specify a shopping place, but it stated in the tourist instructions that "you must cooperate with the tour guide to enter each store and supermarket", which is regarded as fulfillment. "by mutual agreement". The receptionist told reporters that most tourist shopping stores sell high-priced goods such as jade, jewelry, silk, and latex products.

The receptionist later introduced that there is also a "shopping tour" that is not written on the price list, which only costs 380 yuan and includes tickets of more than 200 yuan, one night's accommodation and three meals. "But after getting on the bus, the tour guide will ask each person to pay 690 yuan for their own expenses."

The Tourism Law stipulates that tourists have the right to independently choose tourism products and services, and have the right to refuse forced transactions by tourism operators Behavior; tour guides and tour leaders shall not induce, deceive, force or force tourists in disguised form to shop or participate in separately paid travel projects.

Can’t you choose not to add “self-pay”? Here comes the second sidestep: Tour guides do not "force transactions" on self-funded items, but under the offensive of "cannot keep up with the group itinerary", "the package price is very cost-effective" and "you are the only one who does not meet and delays the group", tourists often pay money.

Another receptionist really couldn't stand it and quietly told the reporter: "The 380 yuan tour is a scam. Don't go...the tour guide must make up for it from other charges."

Two rounds of serial moves "successfully" filled in the price gap

After travel agencies and tour guides organize groups at a price lower than cost, how to fill the gap between selling price and cost?

Zhang Lin (pseudonym), who has been engaged in tourism business for more than ten years, came out to give his own account. His father-in-law wants to travel from his hometown to a first-tier big city. "As an insider, I naturally don't want to sign up for a shopping tour. But the travel agency told me that if there is no pure fun tour, you have to buy something."

Zhang Lin I signed up for a five-day double flight with my father-in-law. The price of more than 1,000 yuan also included food and accommodation. So the first round of "filling the hole" came - self-financed projects. The other party bluntly said that they would have to pay more than 800 yuan when the time came.

“I asked him if I could pay it first, so as to save the elderly from having to pay and feel distressed, but the other party said no.” It turns out that there are multiple packages for self-paid items, and more than 800 yuan is the lowest. "I think maybe the old man was persuaded by the tour guide and chose the 1,500 yuan one."

What products are included in the self-paid packages? Wang Xiao (pseudonym), who has been a tour guide for decades, told reporters that the jargon is called "adding points". "The added points are all third- and fourth-tier attractions with high price tags and low base prices, and most of them are serial attractions. After entering, there is shopping. " He gave an example of a folk garden. Tickets are priced at more than 100 yuan, but if the travel agency "takes it", it only costs 35 yuan. There is also shopping inside such as local specialties.

“After collecting self-financed items, the tour guide will be more secure, at least not losing money, but there is a ceiling, and then there will be an unlimited second round - shopping commission.” Zhang Lin told reporters, shopping This is the source of huge profits. "Why are the prices of tourist merchandise stores so high? Because travel agencies and tour guides have to share a lot of profits, and businesses that do not make huge profits cannot continue to operate. Tourist shops are updated very quickly, because after a few years of sales, no one trusts the products. "

"It is normal for a shopping group tour guide to earn between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan a month, and as much as 50,000 yuan a month," Wang Xiao said, using the jargon for "deep pit" and "shallow pit." " Describing the zero-negative tour fee as "how negative" it is, "When chatting with colleagues, most of them talk about how deep the pit is and how long it will take to fill it.

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With the intensification of supervision, it is difficult to see the "simple and crude" practices of tour guides such as forcing extra points, shopping, and splitting money on the spot at shopping malls. In Wang Xiao's words, it is "wearing" Clothes that are more discreet"