The current peak season for short-distance winter-themed tours such as ice and snow activities and hot springs in the vicinity of the city is in full swing. However, influenced by the new traffic regulations, many self-driving tourists have switched to group tours this year to avoid the risk of penalties due to unfamiliar road conditions.
Dubbed the "strictest traffic rules in history," the new regulations officially took effect on January 1 of this year. Yesterday, reporters learned from several local travel agencies that, due to considerations of both the "new traffic rules" and travel costs, group short-distance tours have seen a rapid surge at the start of the new year, with registration numbers for some routes increasing by 30% compared to the previous month.
The number of participants in short-distance group tours is starting to rise
"Previously, during holidays, my friends and I loved driving around for a couple of days, but now we're not very familiar with the newly implemented traffic rules, and the penalties are much stricter than before. If we drive ourselves to unfamiliar places, we won’t know where the traffic lights are or where lane changes are not allowed, so the cost and risk of self-driving are now higher. For our upcoming trips, we plan to join group tours," said Mr. Wang, a resident whose concerns have become a shared worry among most tourists in the current short-distance travel market.
It is understood that the "new traffic rules" implemented on January 1 of this year specify clear regulations regarding driver experience, seatbelt use, and maximum and minimum speed limits on highways. Many drivers have changed their plans for self-driving trips and have returned to group tours. Ms. Cao, head of a local travel agency, said: "Since New Year’s Day, the number of tourists joining short-distance group tours every day has increased significantly. Last year, we could only dispatch two buses on weekends, each carrying 45 people, but this year, right after New Year’s Day, we’ve been able to send out three buses on weekends, each with 41 passengers — an increase of over 30%." Another agency head, Ms. Lin, said: "Currently, short-distance tours around the city mainly focus on Jixian County, where most visitors go skiing or soaking in hot springs. These activities are more worry-free when done in a group, and with many tourists considering the implementation of the new traffic rules, they’ve started returning to group tours."
Two options for skiing in Jixian County differ in cost by 100 yuan
With more and more families owning private cars, self-driving tours have become one of the most favored travel methods for tourists, especially families, due to their greater freedom and privacy. A person in charge of the Tianjin branch of Tuniu Travel Network stated that the policy of free highway tolls for small passenger vehicles will continue during this year’s Spring Festival, and coupled with the traditional Chinese custom of family reunions during the holiday, it is expected to bring another wave of stimulation to the short-distance travel market.
Some tourists who recently switched from self-driving to short-distance group tours said that although group tours have certain restrictions on the itinerary, they can currently avoid the driving risks during the "adaptation period" of the new traffic rules, while also saving on some travel costs. One tourist did the math: for the same destination and activities, the overall per-person cost of a self-driving trip is over 100 yuan more expensive than joining a group tour. Mr. Guo, who returned from the Panshan Ski Resort last weekend, calculated: "From Jinzhonghe Avenue onto the highway, then exiting at the Jixian County toll station, the round-trip highway toll was 110 yuan, and fuel costs for the round trip were about 200 yuan — just those two items came to 310 yuan. The ski resort ticket was 98 yuan per person, so 196 yuan for two people. Not counting food, the total for two people was 506 yuan, or 253 yuan per person." But Mr. Zhang and his wife, who joined a group tour on the same day, saved quite a bit: "We signed up directly with the travel agency and took a bus directly there. The total cost per person for transportation and the ski resort ticket was 148 yuan, with ski boots, boards, and poles all included in the ticket price. Not counting meals, that meant each of us spent just 148 yuan for the day." The cost difference for a one-day ski trip alone was 105 yuan.