Stop 'zero fare tours' before they start in Phuket

Often run out of Bangkok, zero fare tour operators pay foreign travel agencies on a ‘per head’ basis – typically US$50 or US$100 – for each tourist they bring in.

The operators provide the tourists with free accommodation, but to recoup their expenses they take their 'guests' on ‘special’ sightseeing tours and shopping sprees, using coercion and reportedly even threats to get the tourists to spend money.

The tour operators make back their costs and exact their profits from (undisclosed) commissions, thus ensuring there is almost no let-up in the high-pressure tactics the captive tourists are forced to endure.

The net result is a holiday hell for the victims, who are held virtually hostage in a foreign land, not knowing where to turn for help and in some cases being abandoned.

Zero tour fare operators have been a major source of complaints to the Chinese government, which last year moved to stop the practice by making it illegal for travel agencies in that country to fly out tourists who have not seen their itinerary details in advance.


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