Ticket prices at Chinese tourist attractions have generally become more expensive than in other countries in recent years. Many Chinese tourists have reportedly complained that it's getting too expensive to travel domestically. [Photo/IC]

To further regulate the ticket prices of China's tourist attractions, a comprehensive one-year campaign was announced in a Tuesday notice issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and China National Tourism Administration.

From September to August, a series of "special renovation tasks" will be carried out to monitor and supervise ticket prices nationwide. Local authorities will have the right to correct and even punish the attractions for price fraud, unreasonable price adjustment, and poor management.

According to the notice, tourist attractions that are subject to government pricing or government guidance pricing should not raise admission ticket prices during the campaign. At the same time, they should also follow the existing rules, such as not to adjust the prices more frequently than every three years, or issue new admission tickets during special occasions.

For independent scenic spots whose prices are regulated by the market, if the ticket prices are obviously higher than average, they must also accept the authority's investigation and adjust prices accordingly. If the attractions’ profit exceeds the operating costs and other expenses, the authorities can also suggest lowering the prices, according to the notice.

This is the most recent of the many measures the government has taken in recent years to stop the ticket prices of tourist attractions from rising too fast.

In fact, ticket prices at Chinese tourist attractions have generally become more expensive than in other countries in recent years. According to a report by the Tourism Research Center in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in May, up to the end of 2014, the average price of all the 186 5A-level scenic spots in China was 112 yuan ($17.5). Many Chinese tourists have reportedly complained that it's getting too expensive to travel domestically.

Wei Xiao'an, China Tourism Leisure Association secretary-general, said in an earlier China Daily interview that it is understandable when tourist sites raise their prices amid inflation and the upgrading of facilities. However, Wei said, sometimes tourist attractions just want to make a profit from unreasonably high prices.

Early this year, the China National Tourism Administration created a "price trusted" white list and encouraged tourist attractions around the country to apply. To be included in the list, the scenic spot has to use a single price, not commit price fraud, offer discount to special groups, offer advance booking privilege, must publish its prices and not raise its prices in three years. However, it was not compulsory to be on the list, and a tourist spot can choose whether to join the list or not.

As early as 2007, the China National Development and Reform Commission had announced that attractions wouldn't be able to make ticket price adjustments for three years.

However, many scenic spots' ticket prices have been rising every three years. In 2012, most of the tourist attractions finished their last price adjustment, and many were reportedly planning a new round of price rises before the latest campaign was announced.

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