China tour guide sacked after video shows her scolding tourists for not spending enough

Visiting mainland Chinese families rest under an advertisement board at a shopping district in Hong Kong on Feb 23, 2015. A female tour guide in Yunnan who castigated her tour group for not shopping enough was sacked, after a video of her scoldi
Visiting mainland Chinese families rest under an advertisement board at a shopping district in Hong Kong on Feb 23, 2015. A female tour guide in Yunnan who castigated her tour group for not shopping enough was sacked, after a video of her scolding the tourists went viral. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

YUNNAN - A female tour guide from Kunming was sacked after a video of her castigating members of her tour group for not shopping enough went viral.

The four-minute video, which was uploaded on YouTube on May 1, showed the woman with a microphone on board a bus as she accused the group of lacking "morals" and "a conscience".

She also threatened to cancel the group's next trip and forfeit their return tickets if they did not spend at least 3,000 yuan (S$644) each on jewellery or souvenirs.

An official with the Yunnan Tourism Law Enforcement Division told broadcaster China Radio International that the tour guide had flouted several rules, including using abusive language and forcing tourists to shop against their will.

It also reported that such practices are common across the country.

The tour guide's licence has since been revoked while the company she was working for, Kunming Fenghua Travel Agency, had its operations suspended and was fined 20,000 yuan.

mklee@sph.com.sg

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