China's Local Governments Get Told to Cut Ticket Prices at Scenic Spots
Tang Shihua
DATE:  Mar 30 2019
/ SOURCE:  yicai
China's Local Governments Get Told to Cut Ticket Prices at Scenic Spots China's Local Governments Get Told to Cut Ticket Prices at Scenic Spots

(Yicai Global) March 29 -- China's local governments have been told to finish reviews of ticket pricing at the highest-rated tourist attractions in their administrative areas and make the necessary cuts in charges by year-end.

The National Development and Reform Commission has been making efforts to cut ticket prices to promote tourism. Local authorities in charge of prices should fully supervise, review and investigate prices at major tourist attractions, where government sets entrance fees, and the prices haven't been cut since 2018.

Local authorities should also cut entry fees further at scenic spots that already lowered prices in 2018, according to the NDRC's notice. 

While reducing prices, authorities should also lower the high cost of services such as car transport, cable cars, cruise ships and parking, which cause the largest number of complaints and tend to be monopolies, the notice said.

Governments set the entrance fees for most Chinese tourist attractions. Ticket prices are jacked up due to the uniqueness of the areas or spots, making up most of a trip's expense. The AAAAA-rated attractions, the highest level of scenic spots rated by the government, tend to be the most expensive. The result is that the vast majority of tourists are unhappy, and the NDRC has been pushing for price cuts since it takes into account the interests of all parties. 

The notice said that local government departments in charge of pricing should clean up and regulate unreasonable expenses at scenic spots and promote the disclosure of income and expenses based on the requirements of relevant NDRC documents.

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Keywords:   Tourist Entry Ticket,Government Policy,NDRC