A 5A-level scenic spot in northern Jiangsu is also planning to raise its prices, with the base fare set to double. The reasoning given is that its current ticket price is significantly lower than that of similar attractions in other cities. The low price creates the impression among out-of-town visitors that the site is “inferior,” which affects its ability to attract tour groups and diminishes the brand value of the attraction.
At first glance, this may seem somewhat reasonable—premium goods do use high prices to signal status, which aligns with modern marketing strategies. But for the same product, a lower price will always attract more consumers than a higher one. So what makes the scenic spot so certain that its current low price is “hurting its ability to attract tour groups,” and why should consumers be expected to pay more in the future?
Looking deeper reveals that, from the perspective of these scenic areas, price hikes are not the result of improved quality but rather a strategy to attract more visitors. Travel agencies typically get tickets at around a 30% discount, yet they sell them to tourists at full price. Therefore, the higher the ticket price set by the scenic area, the greater the profit margin for the travel agency and the more motivated they are to organize tours. A “win-win” situation is thus created between the scenic spot and the travel agency.
It’s not only the scenic spots that follow this logic—some local governments do too. Nowadays, most scenic areas are owned by local governments, and ticket prices are set by government decree. As a result, raising prices often reflects a local government's chosen path for developing tourism. It’s not hard to understand: building a high-quality tourist destination requires not only continuous investment but also patience to cultivate the market—a high-input, slow-return endeavor. In comparison, the strategy of high ticket prices seems far simpler and more effective. Thus, many local governments actively advocate for and readily approve price hikes at scenic sites.
The distorted profit model in the tourism industry, coupled with the short-termism of some local governments, has led to an increasing number of “unaffordable sceneries.” Scenic areas, which should be public resources, are gradually being transformed into places of enjoyment for a privileged few, creating a highly unreasonable social phenomenon.
What deserves attention is that the hearing system, designed to balance public interests, often proves ineffective when it comes to scrutinizing high ticket prices. According to relevant national regulatory documents, ticket prices at scenic spots are generally managed by local pricing authorities authorized by provincial pricing departments, with no unified national pricing management policy in place.
The majority of visitors to these scenic spots—around 90%—come from outside the local area. Under the current hearing system, it’s sufficient to select consumer representatives only from the local population, leaving out-of-town tourists as the “silenced majority.” As a result, despite overwhelming online opposition, price hike proposals can easily pass through the hearing process with little to no contention.
The phenomenon of scenic spots competing to raise prices is not only an abnormal economic occurrence but also an unreasonable social issue. The loss of public resources and the emergence of inequality are both incompatible with a harmonious society. Therefore, efforts must begin with governance reforms in the tourism industry and innovations in the hearing system, so that ticket prices stop “soaring” and the beauty of nature returns to the people.