Chinese tourists flock to an old town in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, October 1, 2023. Photo AFP
A tour guide in China’s Guizhou province became angry with her group of tourists because none of them were willing to go shopping when visiting gem stores.
Video footage that went viral on Chinese social media showed the tour guide shouting at the group of tourists for an hour while they were on a bus from Guangzhou to Guizhou, southwest China, on September 26.
The guide took them to several stores selling gemstones, but most of them only visited them without shopping, which made her angry. She threatened to cancel the trip and leave the group alone if they didn’t spend money on shopping during the tour. Theirs the newspaper reported.
The tour guide even criticized the tourists for being “greedy.”
The argument escalated further when one member of the group said that “it’s up to the tourist to choose whether or not to shop.” Chant Tao daily reported.
One member of the group said it was a cheap tour package and only one member of the group was shopping.
On September 29, the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, and other law enforcement agencies began to verify the identity of the tour guide.
Officials said they will investigate and will not tolerate acts that affect the legitimate rights and interests of tourists.
The incident occurred ahead of Golden Week, the longest annual holiday in China. This year, Golden Week lasts eight days, from September 29 to October 6, as hundreds of millions of Chinese flock to travel.