What are the cheap tourist traps?

The tricks behind the "low-price temptation" of travel agencies include: travel is fake and shopping is real; claims are free and temporarily increases prices; standards are lowered and itineraries are discounted.

1. Tourism is fake, shopping is real

Unreasonable and low-priced tours are operators who take advantage of tourists' greed for cheap, attract customers at low prices, and then deceive and force tourists Making illegal profits through shopping and other means.

Travel agencies are often divided into two types: group agencies and local travel agencies. The tour group organization is responsible for attracting customers and making money based on the number of people. The local travel agency is responsible for reception, and earning commission from tourists shopping more has become one of the sources of profit for many local travel agencies. Many so-called “attractions” are actually invisible shopping spots. All shopping attractions must enter the store. If tourists do not buy something, they may be "complained" by the tour guide, or even ridiculed openly and implicitly, which will affect the tourist's mood during the trip.

2. Claiming to be free, but temporarily increasing prices

Some illegal travel agencies also claim to be free of charge, but temporarily increasing prices. If the travel agency has not signed a contract with you, or if you receive flyers for low-price travel or even free travel at the train station or on the street, you should be especially careful. There is no free lunch in the world, and there is no pie in the sky.

Some tourists are greedy for petty gains and may neglect to sign a formal contract with a travel agency because of some benefits or discounts. In the end, it is difficult to protect their legitimate rights and interests because there is no evidence.

3. Lower standards and discounted itineraries

Li Qiuting (pseudonym) is a senior in college this year and recently worked as an intern at an international travel agency in Shandong. She told reporters that after taking tourists to destinations, some travel agencies found that they were unprofitable, so they greatly reduced their services and the number of attractions they could visit. "Wool comes from sheep, so low price means low quality. If you look closely at the itinerary, you will find that the food, accommodation and travel arrangements and standards of the 'unreasonable low-price tour' have actually been greatly reduced." Li Qiuting said.

Extended information

The tourism authorities have taken measures to rectify unreasonable and low-priced tourism

In October 2016, the National Tourism Administration issued the "About Organization and Development" "Notice on the Special Action to Rectify "Unreasonable Low-priced Tours"", which plans to carry out special rectification work on "Unreasonable and Low-priced Tours" from October this year to April next year.

The tourism authorities of Hunan Province and Changsha City attach great importance to it and take multiple measures to carry out special actions to rectify "unreasonable low-price tourism". Provincial and municipal travel agency industry associations have actively organized self-examination and self-rectification by enterprises, and have removed "low-price travel" products from their shelves. They have publicly promised to the public to operate with integrity and consciously boycott "low-price travel". The reporter learned that in November, 12 travel agencies in the province were investigated by the tourism authorities for suspected unreasonable low-price parades.

On December 2, 2020, the "Hunan Province Measures for the Implementation of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China" was voted and passed at the 26th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth Provincial People's Congress, which will It will be officially implemented on January 1, 2017. The "Measures" clarified seven types of behaviors of travel agencies that deceive and force tourists to make purchases, and clearly stipulated that tourism employees shall not engage in price fraud, forced transactions, deception and inducement of tourists to consume, and insults, beatings, or coercion of tourists during tourism activities. Industry insiders believe that these clear provisions of the "Measures" will play a very good role in curbing unreasonable low-price tourism and protecting the rights and interests of tourists. In the future, the phenomenon of unreasonably low-priced tours will become less and less common.