Voices
Raise the red flag on package tours
By Xu Fan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-11 11:51
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It is a common scene at the capital's attractions: tour guides waving small flags, followed by a gaggle of tourists donning color-coded baseball caps. The tourists cluster around the guide, listen to monotone introductions and posing with the peace sign gesture for photographs with the sites as a backdrop.
Some call that "travel" and love its convenience and comparatively low price. Indeed, all the transport and accommodation is arranged.
Tour operators have special methods to get cheap airplane tickets and hotel rooms. Sometimes you needn't even to take out your purse or wallet to pay for attraction tickets or meals.
But please don't forget there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Joining a low-cost package tour usually means you must visit many so-called specialty shops, commercial traps for tourists who believe they can buy low-price jewelry or healthcare products from a "kind" and "generous" shopkeeper.
Even you are smart and persistent enough to escape such traps, you still must struggle with the alarm clock at 6 or 7 am each morning and follow a strict schedule packed with plenty of attractions and aggravations.
In the meantime, time is always accurately allocated to each location.
You might be enchanted with that gently flowing river, delicately constructed ancient temple, or beautiful Buddhist stone figure, but sorry, you will definitely get no chance to linger there a few minutes more.
And these are by far hardly the most terrible aspects of the package tour.
The worst is when you get return home after a tiring package holiday, and drop your heavy luggage on the floor. Then you cheer, "Hey, this is the most comfortable place I've ever been."
How ironic!
The journey costs you money, energy and precious annual leave. What you get in return is the chance to complain about how worn out you feel, as well as to deliver a few funny lines to friends in recollection of your hectic holiday.
In addition, you have sacrificed the genuine happiness of true travel. Awaken whenever you want in a pretty hotel. Enjoy the sunshine on balcony and savor a cup of coffee. Let time slip away cozily.
Take an adventure in a remote and strange town. Find special scenes and chat with local residents, even communicating with body gestures, if needed.
Wander narrow alleys without fear of getting lost. You might just find a mysterious and attractive place.
All of these make up genuine travel, that which is worthy of your time, money and preparation.
You might argue that a package tour is an old-fashioned mode of travel eschewed by most modern Chinese.
But this is not the truth.
According to a recent survey of more than 3,000 people, 35 percent of Chinese travelers still prefer to take a package holiday in 2010, while the same percentage chose totally do-it-yourself tour, reported the Beijing Morning Post.
That's why so many people still complain about their tiring and terrible travels.
