Many travel agencies state “no shopping stops” in their brochures. These assurances help tourists decide which tour to join and serve as a commitment to service quality.
Yet even if an itinerary lists no shopping stops, travellers may still find themselves being asked to buy things.
A tour guide might say: “Let me treat everyone to a cup of tea.” In practice, this means taking the group to a tea shop for a break, with an introduction to its products along the way.
A guide might first introduce medicinal herbs grown locally, then mention that relatives back home are also in the herbal medicine business and that personal connections provide access to better-quality products at lower prices. The guide might bring products onto the bus to show the group, quote prices and take down orders from interested tourists.
A guide might ask tourists to show their appreciation for the driver’s hard work throughout the journey by buying snacks he sells. These transactions take place on the tour bus, but can still get tourists to open their wallets.
These practices, which do not appear to be shopping arrangements, do not necessarily involve forced purchases. There is nothing inherently wrong with them, provided prices are transparent and purchases are voluntary. The question is, when such arrangements become routine, can tourists still distinguish friendly service from a disguised sales pitch?
Veteran Singapore television host Quan Yi Fong’s account of an unpleasant trip to southern Xinjiang has drawn renewed attention to forced shopping. She had joined a local tour and confirmed beforehand that the contract stipulated there would be no compulsory shopping or spending. Yet the actual itinerary included shopping stops on two consecutive days. She also alleged that the guide berated tourists for being unwilling to spend. A promised small group of no more than 12 people and a luxury six-seater vehicle also turned out to be a group of more than 20 and a 20-seater bus.
The conduct of individual tour groups should not be used to judge China’s entire tourism market or all its tour guides. But when similar complaints keep surfacing, the issue goes beyond the service attitude of individual guides. It is also about how travel agencies manage their teams, monitor service and protect tourists’ freedom to decide what to buy.
“No shopping stops” should be a clear commitment about the itinerary, not just an attractive marketing phrase. Introducing local specialities, arranging tea tastings or even offering ways to buy products can all be part of the travel experience, provided these are explained in advance, prices are transparent and tourists remain free to choose.
Tourists join tours to see the sights, experience local culture and enjoy a holiday, not to sit through one sales pitch after another. Guides can recommend good products, but should not treat tourists’ willingness to spend as a sales target they must meet.
