Beijing: DO NOT Join a Tour Group!!
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I signed up for a tour, leaving from Shenzhen to Beijing on May 8th for five days. It's 4000 RMB for one person, and they said it's a 'pure fun' tour with no shopping, which is written into the contract.
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Anyway, just be extra careful.
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The standard procedure for legitimate Beijing travel agencies is: tourists don't pay upfront. First, they sign an electronic travel contract. We send the tourist a text message with a link; clicking it reveals the full contract. Any promises of 'no shopping' or 'no optional expenses' must be clearly written into the contract. The tourist confirms and signs on their phone, and it's directly uploaded to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for备案 (filing). After signing, you can verify the contract's authenticity on the National Tourism Regulatory Service Platform by entering the contract number. Only pay the deposit if the contract is genuine.
Just looking at a travel agency's business license is useless; a real license can be used for fake tours. Verifying the contract number on the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's official website is the only way to identify scammers. You must sign a contract before paying any deposit, whether it's a paper or electronic contract – it will always have a contract number! Just enter the contract number to verify it, and you'll know if it's real or fake. If it's a fake contract and you still sign up for a cheap deal, then it's your own fault!
Payment should be a corporate bank transfer, and the recipient's name must match the company name on the contract. -
Lesson learned. I'll never fall for this again.
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It's my third day in Beijing, and what this poster said is absolutely right. On the third day, we set off at 6 AM. Breakfast was just a small bun, a sausage, and a bottle of water. Then, first thing in the morning, we were taken to a mall to shop. When I was paying, it was the first time I'd ever heard a cashier rush me to enter my PIN. Everywhere else I've shopped, cashiers have always been patient.
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It's all the same old trick! These people are so shamelessly greedy, afraid you'll change your mind and not buy anything the next second. They try to rip off everyone they can!
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If it's your first time visiting Beijing, I'd recommend finding a small tour group beforehand. Understand the daily itinerary clearly. It's best to have a completely worry-free experience where you don't have to think about anything for places like the Forbidden City, National Museum, and others. Otherwise, you'll have to book many attractions yourself. With a good small tour, food, accommodation, and transport are all arranged. At the attractions, the driver and guide will help you with tickets and provide explanations. That's what my friends and I did, and it worked out great.
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You're pretty obviously a shill, aren't you?!
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I've joined local tours there before, and honestly, they were pretty good, especially the vehicles provided – super comfortable! For those who get it, you spend a lot of time traveling by car in Beijing, and not having a comfortable one is really unpleasant.
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Looking for recommendations!
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Going DIY, 4 people. Anyone want our itinerary/guide?
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4 days, 3 nights.
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I'm planning to take my parents and kid to Beijing. Just by posting that I wanted to go, I got added by so many salespeople. Their offers looked incredibly cheap with great service, so I was very tempted! But after reading your experience, I've given up on that idea! Does anyone have any good travel plan suggestions?
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This was sent by the salesperson who added me.
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It's a common tactic; a legitimate process involves signing an electronic contract before the trip, with all fees clearly detailed and the contract filed with the tourism bureau.
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I was thinking of taking my kid during the summer vacation and wanted the convenience of a tour group. I'm so glad I saw your post; I really need to reconsider now.
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Definitely don't do it! It's exhausting having to wake up in the middle of the night with kids just to assemble. The driver who took us to the airport told me that summer is peak season for these awful, rip-off tours!