So, here’s the scoop – Chinese tour guides are catching some heat once again, and this time it’s because they’re playing hardball with tourists over pricey souvenirs. Case in point: one family recently got the boot from their tour bus for refusing to splurge on souvenirs.
According to Vietnam Express, it all went down when the Tian family from China decided to take a vacay to Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, during the Spring Festival.
Now, they shelled out 17,000 yuan for a tour package for five people – not exactly chump change, right?
As part of the tour package, they were herded into a souvenir shop along with a bunch of other tourists. And what were they peddling? Expensive jade stones, of course.
But here’s where things get interesting – the tour guide with the Tians tried to sweet-talk them into buying a bracelet. Only catch? This little trinket would set them back a whopping 50,000 yuan.
Naturally, the Tians were like, “Uh, no thanks.”
They knew the drill – this kind of pressure tactic was nothing new, and they weren’t about to fall for it. But the tour guide wasn’t backing down, even throwing in a few threats for good measure.
Fast forward to the end of the trip, and what do you know? The Tians find themselves kicked off the bus. Why? Because they didn’t fork out for any souvenirs at the jade shop.
But did they take this lying down? Nope.
They marched straight to the local tourism authorities and filed a complaint. And you know what happened next? The tour guide got slapped with a fine of 20,000 yuan and a 3-month suspension from work. Ouch!
Now, this whole saga has become the talk of the town on Chinese social media. So, for all you travelers planning a trip to China, here’s a heads-up – watch your wallet and stand your ground!