China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism published 13 cases selected from a campaign against misconduct by tour guides and forced spending that began in March 2026. The cases describe penalties imposed by local authorities between April and September 2026. They concern unauthorized shopping stops or paid activities, undisclosed shopping arrangements, and pressure on tourists to spend money.

The ministry’s published cases are summarized below. Fines are in yuan; orders to forfeit illegal proceeds are noted separately.

1. Unapproved performance, Shaoshan: Shaoshan Yunshuijian Travel Agency arranged for seven tourists on a one-day tour to watch a performance without reaching an agreement with them. In July, the Changsha culture and tourism authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for five days and pay a 30,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, identified as Gong, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 2,000 yuan.

2. Added paid activities, Zhangjiajie: Zhangjiajie Qianyue International Travel Agency arranged boat and scenic-area shuttle rides as additional paid activities for two tourists. Its assigned guide, Dai, sold goods to tourists. In June, the Yongding District authority warned the agency, ordered it to forfeit illegal proceeds and suspend operations for seven days, and fined it 30,000 yuan. A directly responsible manager, Qin, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 2,000 yuan. Dai was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds, fined 5,000 yuan and had their guide certificate suspended for seven days.

3. Performance disrupted other tourists’ itinerary, Xi’an: Shaanxi Youyou Tianxia International Travel Agency arranged for some members of a 24-person group to watch a performance, affecting the itinerary of others in the group. In May, the Lintong District authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for three days and pay a 30,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Wang, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 3,000 yuan. Another directly responsible person, Shi, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds, fined 5,000 yuan and had their guide certificate suspended for 15 days.

4. Undisclosed shopping stop, Enshi: Hubei Mingyang International Travel Agency did not tell tourists on a three-day Enshi tour that the itinerary included a shopping location and arranged a visit to an industrial park for shopping. In August, the Enshi Prefecture authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 15 days and pay a 30,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Zhu, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 2,000 yuan.

5. Shopping outside the contract, Guizhou: Guizhou Zhongli Qianxing Travel Agency took tourists to a trading company to shop without their consent, although the stop was not in the tour contract. In June, the Xiuwen County authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 10 days and pay a 35,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Liu, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 3,000 yuan.

6. Shopping added to a “no-shopping” tour, Guizhou: Guizhou Fangxiang Travel Agency took 32 tourists to shop at a cultural development company despite omitting the stop from both the contract and itinerary for a five-day, four-night tour marketed as a “no-shopping” trip. In September, the Danzhai County authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for seven days and pay a 30,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Yi, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 2,000 yuan.

7. Shopping despite a no-shopping agreement, Yunnan: Yunnan Zoutu International Travel Agency took two tourists to a tea shop during a 10-day, nine-night tour, although its product listing, customer-service information and contract all specified no shopping. In June, the Kunming authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for five days and pay a 40,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Li, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 3,000 yuan.

8. Shopping presented as a home visit, Lhasa: Tibet Hongshan International Travel Agency took 18 tourists to shop at a farmers’ and herders’ cooperative under the pretext of a “home visit.” In June, the Lhasa authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 10 days and pay a 45,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Lei, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 4,000 yuan.

9. Unagreed shopping stop, Chongqing: Chongqing Shasha International Travel Agency took two tourists to a silver-jewelry shop without their consent. In June, the Chongqing culture and tourism authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 15 days and pay a 100,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Wang, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 8,000 yuan.

10. Shopping rebates on a zero-fee tour, Nanjing: Nanjing Zhongyou International Travel Agency accepted 61 tourists for a four-day Qiantang River tour at a “zero tour fee.” It concealed that an itinerary stop described as an “experience center” was a shopping venue and received shopping rebates. In April, the Nanjing authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 15 days and pay a 100,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Zhou, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 4,000 yuan.

11. Exaggerated product claims, Guizhou: Guizhou Qiantu Shanshui Travel Agency received a tour group without being paid enough to cover its reception and service costs and concealed shopping stops. Guides Wang and Yan exaggerated the effects of herbal products to encourage purchases and received per-person promotional fees from shops. In August, the Anshun authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 20 days and pay a 60,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Hu, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 5,000 yuan. Three other directly responsible people, identified as Liang, Wang and Yan, received penalties including forfeiture of illegal proceeds, fines and suspension of guide certificates; the published account does not specify their individual amounts or suspension periods.

12. Pressure to buy an optional package, Inner Mongolia: Hulunbuir Daqian Travel Agency organized a five-day, four-night tour for 32 people at a price below cost. Its guide told tourists who did not buy an additional paid package to wait off the bus or spend time nearby until the others returned. The published case describes this as disguised coercion and says the agency obtained improper benefits. In September, the Manzhouli authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for three days and pay a 30,000-yuan fine. A directly responsible manager, Dong, was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds and fined 2,000 yuan.

13. Pressure from a guide, Harbin: A guide identified as Zhou, assigned by Harbin Haohaiyo Travel Agency, made remarks that the published case describes as pressuring tourists to spend. In July, the Daoli District authority ordered the agency to forfeit illegal proceeds, suspend operations for 90 days and pay a 300,000-yuan fine. Zhou was ordered to forfeit illegal proceeds, fined 20,000 yuan and had their guide certificate suspended for 30 days.

According to the ministry’s account, cases 1–9 involved violations of Article 35, paragraph 2, of China’s Tourism Law; cases 10–12 involved paragraph 1 of that article. The guide’s conduct in case 2 also violated Article 15 of the Regulations on the Administration of Tour Guides. The guide’s conduct in case 13 violated Article 23(5) of the Measures for the Administration of Tour Guides.

Original article, published November 13, 2026.