Starting from this year’s National Day holiday, tolls for small passenger vehicles will be waived. This news is undoubtedly encouraging for many self-drive enthusiasts, but while self-drive tours are hugely popular with the public, they’re not favored by travel agencies. With National Day approaching, what kinds of tour routes will the major travel agencies in Guiyang offer to the public? A reporter investigated this issue.
Self-drive tours turn into “going it alone”
Miss Li, a local resident, just got her beloved car last month. Watching her new car only crawl through congested city streets every day, she wanted to take a self-drive tour to really test its performance. Upon learning that tolls for small vehicles would be free starting this National Day, she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm. She rounded up a few friends and planned out their travel route.
For novice drivers who aren’t familiar with the roads, going on a purely self-drive tour seems somewhat unrealistic. Issues such as accommodation, dining, and safety are all causes for concern. Miss Li said that none of her friends who planned to join her had any prior experience with self-drive tours. “We were thinking of asking a travel agency to help arrange the itinerary or provide accommodations and meals,” but after inquiring with several agencies, Miss Li ultimately left disappointed.
The reporter learned that many travel agencies in Guiyang show little interest in the “big slice of cake” that is self-drive tourism. Mr. Qin, a seasoned insider in the travel industry, revealed the reason: “Self-drive tours aren’t profitable!” They can only make money on entrance tickets and accommodations, but nowadays, discounted tickets and hotel rooms can easily be found through group-buying online. For travel agencies, because the number of people on self-drive tours is limited, it’s very difficult to secure group ticket discounts, leaving no profit margin.
“Self-drive tours in Guiyang have almost become ‘going it alone.’ If locals want to go on a self-drive tour, they should seek advice from experienced individuals on matters like routes, timing, and accommodation — all of which need to be prepared in advance. There must be one or two companions in the group who frequently go on self-drive tours; otherwise, it’s very hard to make the trip go smoothly.”
Li Lun, General Manager of Guizhou International Travel Agency, also stated that a few years ago they had offered self-drive tour products for a period, and customer feedback was good. However, due to the high degree of instability and uncontrollable factors inherent in self-drive tours, and too many issues that could lead to disputes during the trip, the burden on the travel agency was very heavy. As a result, they gradually stopped developing new self-drive tour products. Up to now, the agency has given up on developing in the self-drive tourism field.
Outbound tours are already booming
Although there’s still a month to go before the National Day holiday, compared to self-drive tours, which aren’t favored by travel agencies, the design and launch of outbound and traditional domestic tour routes have long been on the agenda for major travel agencies in Guiyang.
For outbound tours, travel agencies such as Guizhou Youth Travel Service are focusing on Taiwan and Thailand, designing several premium routes for travelers planning to go abroad during National Day. This year, they’ve also added a route to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Guizhou International Travel Agency, on the basis of its Hong Kong–Macau pure-play tour groups, has added leisure routes to Taiwan and island destinations. The two Southeast Asian tour groups prepared for National Day have already reached full capacity. Li Lun, the company’s general manager, told the reporter that among the over 10 tour groups they’ve opened for National Day, only one group date remains, showing extremely strong registration interest.
“This is due to the unique nature of outbound tourism. Many customers choose their long-holiday travel plans one or two months in advance, as outbound tours require a lot of preparation. Therefore, our company has started preparing National Day outbound tour products very early. This year, with the rare 8-day holiday, more travelers are opting for longer routes, so the registration situation is very good,” said Manager Li.
Domestic popular routes are also heavily promoted by many travel agencies. Regions such as East China, Dalian, Qingdao, and Guangdong are perennial hotspots. Premium domestic routes priced between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan are definitely not ones that major travel agencies will miss out on.
Some travel agencies have also launched “family trips” and “relaxation tours,” such as those to Yunnan and Sichuan. These routes are designed in a “semi-self-guided” style. The agencies only handle basic services for travelers and provide guidance for the trip, but do not control which specific attractions visitors go to, nor restrict their playtime or dining choices. Services are provided upon request, allowing travelers to truly experience a relaxed feeling. Prices for these “semi-self-guided” tours are also within 2,000 yuan, which most families find quite affordable.