New rules can keep tour guides in line

THE CHINA NATIONAL TOURISM ADMINISTRATION, the country's top tourism regulator, released a series of regulations on Thursday that clarify improper behavior and detailed punishments for tour guides. Those violating the rules could have their licenses revoked and face fines up to 20,000 yuan ($3,000), according to the new regulation scheduled to take effect on Jan 1. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Monday:

The misbehavior of tour guides ranges from coercing tourists into shopping at businesses during a tour to steering clients to forbidden activities such as gambling, drugs and prostitution. Such activities are explicitly prohibited by the new regulation.

Full implementation of the new rules will add more teeth to the tourism law enacted four years ago. Like unruly tourists, who now face being blacklisted, something that could affect their future trips even their credit records, misbehaving tour guides should also be subject to a similar blacklist system as well as receiving any of the new penalties warranted.