Do you prefer to book tours with or without shopping stops?

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Do you prefer to book tours with or without shopping stops?
Nov 24, 2017 00:54
CHRISTINE Points: Join Date: Sep 30, 2005 Status: offline Community Moderator	Voting without time limit Exclusive Vote 43 vote(s) Shopping tours at a lower price 41 vote(s) No-shopping tours at a higher price See All Voter(s) Note: Guest voter(s) are not displayed here. Dear all, We are now undertaking a survey relating to tours. Would you please share your ideas? Thank you. Our question is about stops for shopping during tours. It's common to see tour itineraries including a few shopping stops, usually in jade and souvenir shops. The designated shops make the tour price lower because they are willing to pay commission to the tour guides, which cuts the cost of the travel agency. Tourists are not obliged to buy anything but it will take some time lingering in these shops. Nowadays more and more tourists seem to prefer not to take shopping tours, but this may cost more money compared with tours including shopping stops. Take the following two itineraries as examples: 01: 8 Days Beijing – Xian – Shanghai Tour price with a few shopping stops: USD1159 per person No shopping extra: USD90 per person, USD180 for each couple 02: 11 Days Beijing – Xian – Guilin – Shanghai Tour price with a few shopping stops: USD1649 per person No shopping extra: USD120 per person, USD240 for each couple Based on the differences, may I know your opinion regarding shopping during tours versus no shopping? When booking a trip, can you accept paying a bit more to have a no shopping tour or do you think the price is the key issue? We shall be most grateful for any feedback. Thanks again.

Nov 24, 2017 00:54

CHRISTINE
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Dear all,

We are now undertaking a survey relating to tours. Would you please share your ideas? Thank you. Our question is about stops for shopping during tours.

It's common to see tour itineraries including a few shopping stops, usually in jade and souvenir shops. The designated shops make the tour price lower because they are willing to pay commission to the tour guides, which cuts the cost of the travel agency. Tourists are not obliged to buy anything but it will take some time lingering in these shops.

Nowadays more and more tourists seem to prefer not to take shopping tours, but this may cost more money compared with tours including shopping stops. Take the following two itineraries as examples:

01: 8 Days Beijing – Xian – Shanghai
Tour price with a few shopping stops: USD1159 per person
No shopping extra: USD90 per person, USD180 for each couple

02: 11 Days Beijing – Xian – Guilin – Shanghai
Tour price with a few shopping stops: USD1649 per person
No shopping extra: USD120 per person, USD240 for each couple

Based on the differences, may I know your opinion regarding shopping during tours versus no shopping? When booking a trip, can you accept paying a bit more to have a no shopping tour or do you think the price is the key issue?

We shall be most grateful for any feedback. Thanks again.

Dec 16, 2017 17:01

GUEST36172

For me it all depends on the shopping stop. I've had some that were awful, with very pushy and rude staff that essentially bully people into buying more, but I've had others that did not push, and made good recommendations taking into account budget and why we are buying the item. Even though some shopping stops are great ways to learn about traditional arts, it's the shopping experience I remember, and an experience that leaves me feeling regretful could colour my opinion of the whole tour. (I must add here that the shopping experience I had in Guilin at the pearl shop with your company was good - the staff allowed us to browse, were helpful, and did not push us to spend more than we were comfortable with.)

I'd probably happily pay the extra for no shopping stops, but would want to know what they are in advance to make that choice.

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