Tour companies are illegally forcing tourists to fork out hundreds of dollars to visit free public attractions in New Zealand.
Chinese tourists have been forced to pay up to $10 in ‘admission fees’ for each public attraction they want to visit, like parks and beaches, in package deals.
Jenny Xu, whose aunt was scammed, said she paid more than $160 for a one-day tour booked through a Chinese app.
Chinese tour companies are forcing tourists to pay to visit free attractions to the public in New Zealand. Tourists have been forced to pay admission fees to sites like Mission Bay (pictured)
Chinese tourists have paid up to $10 in ‘admission fees’ for each public attraction they want to visit, like parks and beaches, in package deals (stock image)
The price included ‘admission fees’ of $10 for sites such as Cornwall Park, Western Springs and Mission Bay in New Zealand’s North Island, she told the NZ Herald.
Jenny told her aunt that she shouldn’t have to pay admission fees to visit the public attractions but it was too late for her to be reimbursed.
‘I found out about it only a few days after the tour and told my aunt those venues are free for everyone, but by then it’s too late and we couldn’t contact the tour guide,’ Jenny said.
Rise in Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand
Statistics reveal that Chinese tourists are New Zealand’s second largest group of international visitors, after Australians.
449,024 tourists visited New Zealand from July 2017-June 2018
449,024 tourists visited the country in the last 12 months – up 12.8 per cent from the previous year.
The Chinese are the second largest group of international visitors in New Zealand
Source: Tourism New Zealand
A spokesman for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said tourists should do their research and book through tour companies listed on the Tourism New Zealand website instead of relying on unaccredited Chinese operators.
Tat Tsui, a spokesman for Chinese tourism operators in Auckland, said the practices are illegal but unfortunately Chinese tourists are easy targets.
Chinese tour companies are forcing tourists to pay to visit free attractions to the public in New Zealand (stock image)
Tourists are being forced to pay ‘admission fees’ of $10 for sites such as Cornwall Park (pictured) , Western Springs and Mission Bay in New Zealand’s North Island
‘These operators have no registered business, whose vehicles have no certificate of fitness, hold no licence and are answerable to no one,’ Mr Tsui told the NZ Herald.
Mr Tsui alleged that most of the deals targetting Chinese tourists were listed on Chinese apps and sites including huangbaoche.com.
Huang Bao Che is an online site for Chinese tourists to book international tours.
Mr Tsui said the scamming operators also use ‘cross-selling’ tactics where they are charged extra to sell the vulnerable tourists souvenirs like Manuka honey.
Statistics reveal that Chinese tourists are New Zealand’s second largest group of international visitors, after Australians. 449,024 tourists visited the country in the last 12 months – up 12.8 per cent from the previous year.
Mr Tsui alleged that most of the deals targetting Chinese tourists were listed on Chinese sites including huangbaoche.com. Huang Bao Che is an online site for Chinese tourists to book tours (pictured)