How to Identify Legitimate Travel Websites
As more people travel, all kinds of travel websites have sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain—some for hotel bookings, some for tickets, some for tour packages, in endless variety. Some are run by non-professional travel entities, others by traditional travel businesses, leaving people dazzled and unable to tell real from fake. But some of these services are...
This article is compiled from the original travel notes on the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com); it is a record of trips from earlier years. Time-sensitive information such as ticket prices, schedules, and accommodation prices is subject to the latest announcements from scenic areas and transportation authorities; the itinerary ideas and attraction introductions still have reference value.
As more and more people travel, all kinds of travel websites have sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain—some for booking rooms, some for booking tickets, some for booking tours, all kinds and varieties. Some are run by non-professional tourism entities, and some by traditional tourism businesses, making people dazzled and unable to tell the real from the fake.
However, some of these services require advance payment, and some people worry that if they pay, it will be like a meat bun thrown to a dog—gone forever. Here we tell you some good ways to tell them apart; you might as well give them a try:
1. First: check the website's self-introduction online. If there is none, you had better not trust it. If there is, check whether it is a travel agency, because the Chinese government stipulates that travel agencies are a specially licensed industry, and only travel agencies have the right to engage in tourism reception. (But room and ticket booking can be handled by other industries.) You need to check whether it has a travel agency operating permit issued by the local tourism bureau, a business license, an ICP operating qualification number for the website, and a registration number for a commercial website approved by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. If all of the above are present, you can then assess the credibility of the travel website yourself.
2. If the website is run by a travel agency, please do not be careless either. You need to check whether the travel agency is domestic or international, because the National Tourism Administration stipulates that domestic agencies can only organize tours to domestic destinations or receive domestic guests traveling domestically, while only international agencies can not only organize or receive domestic guests traveling domestically but also receive overseas guests traveling in China. Some websites often confuse the category of travel agency in an attempt to slip through. It is best to verify clearly.
3. If you are still not at ease, you can look up the complaint and inquiry phone number of the local tourism bureau online, then call them to check whether such a travel agency exists and whether it matches what is shown online.
After doing these things, you can book with confidence. Even if problems arise later, you can still find the subject to complain to. Zhangjiajie Tourism Bureau inquiry and complaint phone number: 0744-8380193.