Xuexiang Village Photo: Heilongjiang Morning Post

Beijing (People's Daily) - Authorities have fined a hotel in North China's Heilongjiang Province for cheating tourists and resorting to fraud.

On December 29, an article on social media attracted wide attention, saying that a hotel in Xuexiang Village, a well-known tourist spot, cheated tourists and used illegal ways to gain profit.

Xuexiang Village, meaning snow village, once a State-owned impoverished forestry farm, has been transformed into a booming tourist resort, thanks to its forest resources and its frequent exposure on TV.

The article criticized the unreasonable accommodation and food prices of the restaurant, and the bad attitude of the restaurant owner.

A working group was set up to deal with the case. The group certified that the owner of the restaurant was rude toward customers and had dishonest operations.

However, it denied the unreasonable high food prices in the restaurant.

Media reports said the hotel was fined 59,360 yuan ($ 9,124), blacklisted and ordered to cease operations.

A joint investigating group was also formed to check the operations of family hotels in the scenic spots of Xuexiang Village and strengthen supervision and management of the tourism market there.