Discounted overseas package tours a market hit
3/11/2003 17:01
A growing number of overseas package tours featuring special offers
and specialized travel itineraries has injected new life to the local off-season
overseas tourism market, eastday.com reported yesterday.
Thanks to Dragonair'
s kick-off of air route between Hong Kong and Thailand starting November 2, with
discounted airfares offered within two weeks, the eight-day (seven nights)
package tour to Thailand and Hong Kong is priced only at 2,880 yuan (US$347) in
Shanghai, with one package tour setting off a day.
Such tour, attracting
many locals, is expected to keep the price between 2,950 yuan and 3,080 yuan
from November 15 to the end of the year, said an industry analyst.
The
Shanghai China International Travel Service (SCITS) recently charged 2,500 yuan
for a package tour to Hong Kong and Macau, but the tour to Hong Kong reached
4,000 yuan during the peak period in October.
A tour to Thailand, Singapore
and Malaysia is priced at 3,880 yuan, more than 1,000 yuan cheaper than that
during the National Day holiday, according to Shanghai China International
Travel Service.
The SCITS also offered weekend package tours to Osaka, priced
more than 6,000 yuan , gaining popularity from local white-collar employees,
followed by special tours to Hokkaido and Hiroshima.
The Shanghai China Youth
Travel Service charged 8,888 yuan for eight-day package tour to Australia, while
the previous prices reached 16,800 yuan for ten days. "Thanks to the support
from air-carriers and hotels, our package tour to Australia, once a week, is
proving very popular," said Wu Derong, general manager with Shanghai China Youth
Travel Service.
A growing number of tourism destinations open to Chinese
people has forced travel agencies to try hard to raise their competitiveness by
offering discounted prices and specialized travel itineraries, according to
local travel agencies.
Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news
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