Regulations on the Administration of Tourist Guides (2017)

Regulations on the management of tour guides

(Promulgated by Order No. 263 of the State Council of the People's Republic of China on May 14, 1999 and amended in accordance with the Decision of the State Council on Amending Some Administrative Regulations on October 7, 2017)

Article 1 These regulations are formulated in order to regulate the activities of tour guides, protect the legitimate rights and interests of tourists and tour guides, and promote the healthy development of the tourism industry.

Article 2 The term "tour guides" mentioned in these Regulations refers to the personnel who have obtained tour guide certificates in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations and are appointed by travel agencies to provide guides, explanations and related tourism services for tourists.

Article 3 The State implements a unified national qualification examination system for tour guides. Citizens of the People's Republic of China who have a senior high school, secondary professional school or above, are in good health, and have the basic knowledge and language skills to meet the needs of tour guides can participate in the qualification examination for tour guides;

Article 4 Those who engage in tour guide activities within the territory of the People's Republic of China must obtain a tour guide certificate. Those who have obtained the qualification certificate of tour guides can apply to the tourism administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government for the tour guide certificate only after signing a labor contract with a travel agency or registering with a relevant tourism industry organization.

The style and specifications of the tourist guide certificate shall be prescribed by the tourism administrative department of the State Council.

Article 5 In any of the following circumstances, a tourist guide certificate shall not be issued:

(1) They have no or limited capacity for civil conduct;

(2) Suffering from infectious diseases;

(3) Those who have received criminal punishments, except for crimes of negligence;

(4) The tour guide certificate has been revoked.

Article 6 The tourism administrative departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, within 15 days from the date of receipt of the application for the tourist guide certificate, issue the tourist guide certificate;

Article 7 Tour guides shall continuously improve their professional quality and professional skills.

The State implements a grading assessment system for tour guides. The assessment standards and assessment methods for tour guide personnel shall be formulated by the tourism administrative department of the State Council.

Article 8 Tour guides shall wear tour guide cards when conducting tour guide activities.

The Tourist Guide Pass is valid for 3 years. If the holder of the tourist guide pass needs to continue to engage in tour guide activities after the expiration of the validity period, he or she shall apply to the tourism administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government for the renewal of the tourist guide pass three months before the expiration of the validity period.

Article 9 Tour guides must be appointed by travel agencies to carry out tour guide activities.

Tour guides are not allowed to directly contract tour guide business or conduct tour guide activities without permission or in any other way.

Article 10 When tour guides conduct tour guide activities, their personal dignity shall be respected and their personal safety shall not be violated.

Tour guides have the right to refuse unreasonable requests made by tourists that insult their personal dignity or violate their professional ethics.

Article 11 When conducting tour guide activities, tour guides shall consciously safeguard national interests and national dignity, and shall not have words or deeds that harm national interests and national dignity.

Article 12 When conducting tour guide activities, tour guides shall abide by professional ethics, dress neatly, treat others with courtesy, and respect tourists' religious beliefs, ethnic customs, and living Xi.

When tour guides carry out tour guide activities, they shall explain to tourists the humanities and natural conditions of the tourist sites, and introduce the customs and Xi customs; however, they shall not cater to the low-level tastes of individual tourists, and mix vulgar and obscene content in the explanations and introductions.

Article 13 Tour guides shall, in strict accordance with the reception plan determined by the travel agency, arrange the tourist's travel and excursion activities, and shall not increase or decrease the tourism items or suspend the tour guide activities without authorization.

In the process of guiding tourists to travel and sightseeing, tour guides may adjust or change the reception plan with the consent of the majority of tourists in case of emergencies that may endanger the personal safety of tourists, but shall immediately report to the travel agency.

Article 14 In the process of guiding tourists to travel and sightseeing, tour guides shall give true explanations and clear warnings to tourists about the situations that may endanger the personal and property safety of tourists, and take measures to prevent harm in accordance with the requirements of travel agencies.

Article 15 Tour guides shall not peddle or buy items from tourists or ask for tips from tourists in an explicit or implicit manner when conducting tour guide activities.

Article 16 Tour guides shall not deceive or coerce tourists to consume or collude with operators to deceive or coerce tourists to consume in carrying out tour guide activities.

Article 17 Tourists have the right to complain to the tourism administrative department about the violation of the provisions of these regulations by tour guides.

Article 18 without a tour guide certificate to carry out tour guide activities, by the tourism administrative department ordered to make corrections and be announced, imposed a fine of not less than 1,000 yuan but not more than 30,000 yuan;

Article 19 tour guides who are not appointed by travel agencies, privately contract or directly contract tour guide business in any other way, and carry out tour guide activities, shall be ordered to make corrections by the tourism administrative department and shall be fined not less than 1,000 yuan but not more than 30,000 yuan; if there are illegal gains, the illegal gains shall be confiscated; if the circumstances are serious, the tourism administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall revoke the tour guide certificate and make a public announcement.

Article 20 When a tour guide conducts tour guide activities, if he or she has words or deeds that harm the interests of the state and the dignity of the nation, the tourism administrative department shall order him to make corrections; if the circumstances are serious, the tourism administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government shall revoke the tour guide certificate and make a public announcement; and the travel agency where the tour guide belongs shall be given a warning and even ordered to suspend business for rectification.

Article 21 tour guides do not wear tour guide cards when carrying out tour guide activities, by the tourism administrative department to order corrections, refusal to correct, a fine of less than 500 yuan.

Article 22 In any of the following circumstances, the tourism administrative department shall order the tour guide to make corrections and temporarily withhold the tour guide certificate for 3 to 6 months; if the circumstances are serious, the tourism administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall revoke the tour guide certificate and make a public announcement:

(A) unauthorized increase or decrease of tourism projects;

(2) Changing the reception plan without authorization;

(3) Suspend tour guide activities without authorization.

Article 23 If a tour guide conducts tour guide activities, sells goods to tourists or buys tourists' goods, or asks tourists for tips in an explicit or implicit manner, the tourism administrative department shall order them to make corrections and impose a fine of not less than 1,000 yuan but not more than 30,000 yuan; if there are illegal gains, they shall be confiscated from the illegal gains; if the circumstances are serious, the tourism administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall revoke the tour guide certificate and make a public announcement; and the travel agency that appoints the tour guide shall be given a warning until ordered to suspend business for rectification.

24th tour guide personnel to carry out tour guide activities, deceive, coerce tourists to consume or collude with operators to deceive and coerce tourists to consume, by the tourism administrative department to order corrections, fined not less than 1,000 yuan but not more than 30,000 yuan; The tourism administrative department of the people's government of the municipality directly under the Central Government shall revoke the tourist guide certificate and make a public announcement; the travel agency that appoints the tour guide shall be given a warning and even ordered to suspend business for rectification; if a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility shall be investigated according to law.

25th tourism administrative staff dereliction of duty, abuse of power, favoritism, constituting a crime, criminal responsibility according to law;

Article 26 The measures for the management of tour guides in scenic spots and scenic spots shall be formulated by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government with reference to these Regulations.

Article 27 These Regulations shall come into force on October 1, 1999. The Interim Regulations on the Administration of Tour Guides approved by the State Council on November 14, 1987 and promulgated by the National Tourism Administration on December 1, 1987 shall be repealed at the same time.

Source: Xinzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism