Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 04, 2002
China Releases New Regulation on Overseas Tourism
Beijing Monday released a new regulation governing Chinese tourists travelling abroad, which will go into effect on July 1. The 33-article regulation stipulates that foreign tourism destination countries should be decided by China's tourism authorities with the approval of the State Council.
Beijing Monday released a new regulation governing Chinese tourists travelling abroad, which will go into effect on July 1.
The 33-article regulation stipulates that foreign tourism destination countries should be decided by China's tourism authorities with the approval of the State Council.
About 20 destination countries have been selected, including major member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt and Turkey.
The regulation has made it clear that the destination countries for outbound tours will be forwarded by the administrative office for tourism industry of the State Council together with other departments concerned and submitted to the State Council for approval.
And then they will be proclaimed by the tourism administration under the state council. No unit or individual shall be permitted to organize Chinese citizens to tour in any other destination country than those destinations as proclaimed by the state tourism administration.
The regulation has defined that tourist agencies engaged in outbound tours must meet the following conditions: one-year business operation after it has acquired the qualification status to engage in international tourism; outstanding achievements made in managing the domestic tours and no serious violation of law or quality problem ever happened in the period of operation.
No unit or individual without the authorization and approval of the state tourism administration shall be permitted to engage in outbound tours or tours in any such alternative form as for business, study or training, etc.
It is also defined in the regulation that the organizing tourist agency should maintain the legal rights and benefits of the tourists. The information for outbound tours provided by the agency to tourists must be true and reliable. No false propagation shall be allowed, nor shall it be allowed for the quotation of the tour to be lower than the actual price as required.
When operating an outbound tour the organizing agency should sign with the tourists concerned a contract in written form in which it should include such contents as the dates for the tour to start and end, itinerary, price, meals and accommodation, transportation and responsibilities for breaching the contract and so on. The organizing agency should provide the tourists with adequate services as defined in the contract.