Measures to better manage the flourishing but disorderly tourism industry in southwest China’s Yunnan Province came into force on Saturday.
The province is known of its pristine natural scenes and cultural highlights, and its local economy depends mainly on tourism. However, its reputation had been soiled after recurrent complaints about malpractices carried out by certain businesses and tour guides bulldozing tourists into spending more.
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Dubbed “the strictest ever” tourism management plan, 22 measures will be put into effect across seven sections, focusing on local travel agencies, tour guides, scenic spots and the government’s ability to fulfill its duty.
The crackdown this time around is more strengthened than before, Yu Fan, director of Yunnan Tourism Development Commission, said.
CFP Photo
According to the National Tourism Administration, complaints about illegal tactics and questionable practices in Yunnan accounted for as much as 34.8 percent of the country’s total in February.
Last year, of the 797 complaints received by People’s Daily’s travel section, 317 were about Yunnan.
Dali, home of Bai ethnic minority and temples with gorgeous golden roofs, has released up to 40 regulations this time, marking it one of the strictest regions to address problems and irregularities dogging the province’s tourism industry.
Sixteen of the shops in Dali designated by the government since 2014 were shut down on the first day the measures were implemented, according to Xinhua News Agency.
“It’s good to prohibit designated shops so that we won’t be forced to buy anything,” said a tourist surnamed Zhang, wishing she and other tourists would be protected from deceptive acts and practices.
The provincial tourism market order is expected to achieve fundamental improvement within a year. “We should carry forward tourism transformation and upgrade while trying to solve (existent) problems,” said Wang Keling, professor of Yunnan University.
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