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September 25, 2014

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Home » Opinion » Chinese Views

Stop arbitrary increases of scenic area prices

By Wu Dandan | September 25, 2014, Thursday | Print Edition

RECENTLY, a great number of famous scenic spots have announced their decisions to raise ticket prices.

The ticket price for Yulong Mountain in Yunnan Province has risen from 105 RMB (US$17) to 130 RMB whereas that of Danxia Mountain in Guangdong Province, previously set at 160 RMB, has bumped up to 200 RMB. Statistics have shown that entrance fees for domestic AAAAA scenic areas have generally arrived at “the age of one hundred RMB.”

Despite the fact that attacks on skyrocketing ticket prices and appeals to get rid of the “ticket economy” have been going on for years, entrance fees for most tourist attractions have gone up before the “Golden Week” of the National Day holiday with only a few exceptions. It seems that the public has little control over the rising prices as tourists have no alternative but to accept the exorbitant expenses.

Local decision-makers with basic business sense would realize that compared to a healthy tourism industry, a “ticket economy” brings about nothing but petty profits.

When tourists are blocked by costly tickets, it is impossible for governors to develop their recreation industry as a whole. Whether scenic area managers are playing dumb or are simply shortsighted, keeping the prices down has to be firmly carried out.

What could really be done to restrain the rising ticket prices when years of strong public opposition to it has come to no avail? It boils down to institutionalization.

Public hearing

The new Tourism Law, enacted in 2013, stipulates that entrance tickets to public scenic zones are to be priced by governments. Any proposal to raise prices requires a public hearing during which opinions on its necessity and viability are to be voiced. The law should be the trump card in containing ticket prices.

Opinions on Promoting the Reform and Development of the Tourism Industry, issued by the State Council this year, reasserted the above-mentioned provisions. It is beyond doubt that price control by the government has to be executed before the commonweal attribute of scenic areas is recognized and the financial load on tourists lessened. Those who intend to raise entrance charges have to apply for a hearing according to law.

Many others who have already put up their prices actually went through highly questionable hearing procedures.

Take the public price hearing of Yulong Mountain as an example. It was pointed out that the tourist spot, also known as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, had been operating at a loss because for the past three years the entrance ticket income failed to cover all costs.

As a result, an increase of 25 RMB on ticket prices seemed proper.

Yet such excuses were not well-justified. In the first place, poor operations should be corrected by profound introspection on management methods and cost control, not by relying solely on raising ticket prices.

Beyond that, financial disclosure and auditing should be in place when a claim of so-called “operating under poor conditions” is made.

In light of the much-questioned price hearing on public goods, it is essential to draw a lesson by setting up a hearing procedure suited to the tourism industry.

The hearing should include discussion of fees and separate charges for entrance, sightseeing places and transportation. Public advice needs to be solicited, and auditing of costs should be subject to public supervision.

The exploitation of scenic spots built on public resources must reflect their non-profit nature.

Clear limitations should be put on raising prices except when exceptional circumstances make it inevitable.

Meanwhile, sightseeing areas that keep prices down should be rewarded.

It is only in this way that we can coerce the local decision-makers into abandoning the “ticket economy” and focusing on overall development of the tourism industry.

The author is a freelancer from the City of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.

Chinese Views


 

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