Agencies offer cross-strait group tours despite banBy Ting Yi and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerSome Taiwanese and Chinese travel agencies are allegedly offering fake self-guided tours in China, despite reciprocal bans on tourism groups issued by the two governments, sources said. A number of China-based travel agencies promoted China’s scenic attractions and packaged tours but refrained from giving out information on tour dates or price. The information on self-guided tours was later removed from the Web site. Group tours were allegedly being billed as self-guided tours with complimentary services to dodge regulations, he said, adding that such tourism packages could be legal depending on circumstances. The bureau is monitoring the situation and would impose sanctions on travel agencies that breached the ban, Lin added.
