China News Service, November 13. According to the "Voice of Culture and Tourism" WeChat public account, since March 2026, local culture and tourism departments and cultural market comprehensive law enforcement agencies have continued to promote centralized rectification work to "correct problems such as chaos among tour guides and forced consumption in the tourism industry", strictly investigate and deal with illegal activities such as forced consumption in the tourism market, and further standardize the order of the tourism market. In order to give full play to the warning and deterrent effect of typical cases, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has selected some typical cases, which are now announced.
Case 1: Travel agency arranges tourists to watch performances without authorization
Shaoshan Yunshuijian Travel Agency Co., Ltd. received 7 tourists to participate in the "Shaoshan One-Day Tour" tourism activity, and arranged for tourists to watch performances without consensus with the tourists. The behavior of Shaoshan Yunshuijian Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In July 2026, the Changsha Municipal Culture, Tourism, Radio, Film and Television Bureau imposed administrative penalties on Shaoshan Yunshuijian Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 5 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 30,000 yuan. Gong Moudong, the person in charge who was directly responsible, imposed administrative penalties of confiscating illegal gains and imposing a fine of 2,000 yuan.
Case 2: A travel agency arranged for tourists to participate in a cruise program without authorization
Zhangjiajie Qianyue International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. received two tourists to participate in tourism activities, arranged for the tourists to participate in self-paid projects such as cruise ships and scenic area shuttle buses without authorization, and appointed the tour guide Dai to sell items to the tourists. The behavior of Zhangjiajie Qianyue International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China, and Dai's behavior violated the provisions of Article 15 of the Regulations on the Management of Tour Guides. In June 2026, the Zhangjiajie City Yongding District Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau issued a warning to Zhangjiajie Qianyue International Travel Agency Co., Ltd., confiscated illegal gains, ordered it to suspend operations for 7 days for rectification, and imposed an administrative penalty of 30,000 yuan. The directly responsible person in charge, Qin, was given an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and a fine of 2,000 yuan. The tour guide Dai was given an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains, a fine of 5,000 yuan, and a temporary suspension of the tour guide license for 7 days.
Case 3: Travel agency arranges performances to affect other tourists’ itineraries
Shaanxi Youyou Tianxia International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized 24 tourists to participate in the "Individual Group of 15 + Eternal Love and Honored Guests 1-Day Tour". Some tourists were arranged to watch performances during the itinerary, which affected the schedule of other tourists in the group. The behavior of Shaanxi Youyoutianxia International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In May 2026, the Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Lintong District, Xi'an City imposed an administrative penalty on Shaanxi Youyou Tianxia International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 3 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 30,000 yuan. The directly responsible person in charge, Wang Moulei, imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and a fine of 3,000 yuan. The other directly responsible person, Shi Mouxia, imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains, a fine of 5,000 yuan, and suspending the tour guide license for 15 days.
Case 4: Travel agency concealed from tourists that the travel itinerary included shopping activities
Hubei Mingyang International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized tourists to participate in the "Enshi 3-day tour", failed to truthfully inform tourists that the itinerary included shopping venues, and arranged for tourists to enter an industrial park to carry out shopping activities without authorization. The behavior of Hubei Mingyang International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In August 2026, the Enshi Prefecture Culture and Tourism Bureau imposed an administrative penalty on Hubei Mingyang International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 15 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 30,000 yuan. The directly responsible person in charge, Zhu Mouhong, imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and imposing a fine of 2,000 yuan.
Case 5: Travel agency increases shopping activities without authorization
Guizhou Zhongli Qianxing Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized tourists to participate in tourism activities, and arranged for tourists to go shopping at a trading company that was not stipulated in the travel contract without the consent of the tourists. The behavior of Guizhou Zhongli Qianxing Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In June 2026, the Xiuwen County Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau imposed an administrative penalty on Guizhou Zhongli Qianxing Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 10 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 35,000 yuan. Liu, the person in charge who was directly responsible, imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and imposing a fine of 3,000 yuan.
Case 6: A travel agency solicited tourists with “pure fun tours” and then arranged shopping activities without authorization
Guizhou Fangxiang Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized 32 tourists to participate in the "Guizhou Zhenchun 5 days and 4 nights" tour activity. The travel contract signed with the tourists and the itinerary provided to the tourists did not include a shopping trip to a cultural development company. During the itinerary, tourists were arranged to go shopping at a cultural development company without authorization. The behavior of Guizhou Fangxiang Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In September 2026, the Danzhai County Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau imposed administrative penalties on Guizhou Fangxiang Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 7 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 30,000 yuan. Yi, the person in charge who was directly responsible, confiscated illegal gains and fined 2,000 yuan.
Case 7: A travel agency arranged shopping activities without authorization after signing a "no shopping" travel contract with tourists
Yunnan Zuitu International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized two tourists to participate in the "10 days and 9 nights in Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Lugu Lake, and Shangri-La" tour activities. The online product page, customer service consultation page, and travel contract clearly stipulated that the tour was for fun and not shopping. During the itinerary, the tourists were arranged to enter a tea sales and operation department for shopping without authorization. The behavior of Yunnan Zuitu International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In June 2026, the Kunming Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau imposed an administrative penalty on Yunnan Zoutu International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 5 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 40,000 yuan. Li Moujie, the person in charge who was directly responsible, imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and imposing a fine of 3,000 yuan.
Case 8: A travel agency arranged shopping trips for tourists without authorization in the name of “home visits”
Tibet Hongshan International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. received 18 tourists to participate in tourism activities. During the itinerary, it used the excuse of "home visit" to arrange for the tourists to go shopping at a professional cooperative of farmers and herdsmen without authorization. The behavior of Tibet Hongshan International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In June 2026, the Lhasa Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau imposed an administrative penalty on Tibet Hongshan International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 10 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 45,000 yuan. The directly responsible person in charge, Lei Mou, confiscated illegal gains and fined 4,000 yuan.
Case 9: Travel agency arranged for tourists to go shopping at shopping venues other than the agreed itinerary
Chongqing Sasa International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized two tourists to participate in the "Quality 4 Days and 3 Nights" tour activity, and arranged for the tourists to go shopping in a silver jewelry shop without the tourists' consent. The behavior of Chongqing Sasa International Travel Service Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In June 2026, the Chongqing Municipal Culture and Tourism Development Commission imposed an administrative penalty on Chongqing Sasa International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 15 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 100,000 yuan. The directly responsible person in charge, Wang Mouqiang, imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and a fine of 8,000 yuan.
Case 10: Travel agency received tourists with "zero tour fee" and collected shopping rebates
Nanjing Zhongyou International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. received 61 tourists to participate in the "4-day tour of Qiantang River" with "zero group fee". It concealed from the tourists that the "experience center" in the itinerary was actually a shopping place, and obtained shopping rebates by arranging shopping for tourists. The behavior of Nanjing Zhongyou International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 1, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In April 2026, the Nanjing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau imposed an administrative penalty on Nanjing Zhongyou International Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 15 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 100,000 yuan. The person in charge directly responsible, Zhou Mougen, was imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains and a fine of 4,000 yuan.
Case 11: Tour guide exaggerating product functions to induce consumption
Guizhou Qiantu Shanshui Travel Agency Co., Ltd. received tourist groups that did not pay the reception and service fees in full, concealed the shopping places in the itinerary from tourists, and the group tour guides Wang and Yan induced tourists to spend by exaggerating the efficacy of Chinese herbal products, and collected "head promotion fees" paid by shopping stores. The behavior of Guizhou Qiantu Shanshui Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 1, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In August 2026, the Anshun City Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau imposed administrative penalties on Guizhou Qiantu Shanshui Travel Agency Co., Ltd. of confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 20 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 60,000 yuan. Hu, the person in charge who was directly responsible, confiscated illegal gains and fined 5,000 yuan. Other directly responsible personnel Liang Mi, Wang, and Yan were given administrative penalties of confiscating illegal gains, fines, and temporarily suspending their tour guide certificates.
Case 12: Tour guide forced tourists to participate in self-funded projects in disguise
Hulunbuir Daqian Travel Agency Co., Ltd. organized 32 tourists to participate in the "Hulunbuir 5-day, 4-night tour in eastern Mongolia" at a price lower than the cost. During the itinerary, the tour guide arranged for the additional paid package items to be recommended, and told the tourists that "guests who did not participate should wait under the car or move around freely, and wait for the tourists who participated in the separately paid items to come back from their activities before continuing the itinerary." This was a disguised form of forcing tourists to participate in the separately paid tour items and obtaining improper benefits. The behavior of Hulunbuir Daqian Travel Agency Co., Ltd. violated the provisions of Article 35, paragraph 1, of the Tourism Law of the People's Republic of China. In September 2026, the Manzhouli Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio, Film and Television imposed administrative penalties on Hulunbuir Daqian Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 3 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 30,000 yuan. Dong, the person in charge who was directly responsible, confiscated illegal gains and fined 2,000 yuan.
Case 13: Tour guide forcing tourists to consume in disguised form
Harbin Haohaiyo Travel Agency Co., Ltd. appointed tour guide Zhou Mouzhen to provide tour guide services for tourists. During the tour, Zhou Mouzhen made remarks such as "Destroying people's wealth is like killing their parents", which was a disguised form of forcing tourists to consume. Zhou Mouzhen's behavior violated the provisions of Article 23 (5) of the "Tour Guide Management Measures". In July 2026, the Harbin City Daoli District Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau imposed an administrative penalty on Harbin Haohiyo Travel Agency Co., Ltd. by confiscating illegal gains, ordering it to suspend operations for 90 days for rectification, and imposing a fine of 300,000 yuan. Zhou Mouzhen was imposed an administrative penalty of confiscating illegal gains, a fine of 20,000 yuan, and temporarily suspending the tour guide license for 30 days.
