In the past two years, with the recovery of the domestic tourism market, from Zibo barbecue to Erbin to Tianshui Malatang, various measures have been introduced to promote the development of local tourism.
According to data from the Consumer Insurance, a consumer service protection platform under the China Electronic Chamber of Commerce, since 2023, the platform has received a total of 66,731 consumer-related complaints in the online travel industry, involving an amount of up to 108 million, while the effective complaint resolution rate of relevant enterprises is only 47.27%.
From January to April this year alone, the cumulative number of online travel complaints on consumer insurance platforms reached 29,190, an increase of more than three times over the same period last year. Among them, due to the significant increase in the number of bookings for travel packages, accommodation, and tickets before the May Day holiday, some online travel platforms are not transparent in terms of booking information, cancellation policies, and terms of service, which has caused consumer dissatisfaction and complaints.
The number of online travel complaints received by consumer insurance platforms surged to 10,459 in April, nearly doubling the number from the previous month, with more than 14.14 million lawsuits involved.
Mr. Zhang, a consumer who originally planned to travel on May Day, complained on the consumer insurance platform that on April 15, 2024, he booked accommodation in Yangzhou Orchid Garden Elegant House through the Qunar app, and planned to travel from May 3 to 5, paying a total fee of 715 yuan. However, due to a temporary emergency at home, Mr. Zhang applied for a cancellation on the morning of May 3. According to Qunar's cancellation policy, he was told that the first night's room fee would be deducted.
On the afternoon of May 3, Mr. Zhang found that the room had been rebooked through the app, so he contacted the official customer service to ask if the deducted room fee could be waived. The customer service replied that according to the owner's request, the fee waiver could only be discussed after the room was rebooked for both nights.
Mr. Zhang expressed his incomprehension of this, and he believed that since the room had been rebooked for the first night, the corresponding fee should be waived. In addition, he also pointed out that on other social platforms, the platform still processed refunds when other users were unable to check in due to personal reasons.
"I suspect that Qunar has taken different approaches to different consumers, and I ask the platform to deal with my refund issue fairly as soon as possible." Mr. Zhang said.
Source: Photo.com
Among the many online travel platform companies, Qunar ranked first with 14,184 complaints, accounting for 21.26% of the industry, followed by Fliggy and Ctrip with 12,241 and 11,919 complaints respectively, but its complaint handling efficiency was low, with Fliggy's complaint resolution rate of only 7.47%.
Tongcheng Travel and China Railway (12306) rounded out the top five complaints, with Tongcheng Travel having a complaint resolution rate of 72.01%, while China Railway (12306) had a complaint resolution rate of only 18.21%.
In terms of complaints, the difficulty of returning and changing has still become the focus of consumers' attention. According to the data, it mainly involves the cancellation and refund problems caused by the user's itinerary change, as well as the high handling fee and the unwillingness to compensate for the unilateral cancellation of the order. In addition, problems such as overlord clauses, bundling and tying, and big data killing are also more prominent.
Recently, Ms. Chen, a consumer, complained on the consumer insurance platform that she purchased a "Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel 3 Days and Two Nights Package" worth 6,030 yuan through the Ctrip App on April 30, 2024, and actually paid 6,020 yuan due to the credit card payment discount.
On the same day, Ms. Chen booked a hotel stay from June 27 to 29 and paid the difference of 500 yuan. However, after learning more about the package, she found that it didn't meet her vacation needs, so she submitted a cancellation and refund request through the app a few hours later.
Ms. Chen said that Ms. Chen believes that Ctrip and the hotel's practices violate the Consumer Rights Protection Law, and she has the right to cancel the reservation on the day of the reservation and ask for a refund. At present, Ctrip has not responded to this matter.
In response to online travel-related consumer complaints, experts from the Consumer Insurance Research Institute issued consumer tips:
01
It is recommended that consumers first choose a reputable platform, choose a reputable and highly rated online travel platform or travel agency before booking travel products and services, and avoid choosing merchants without formal qualifications.
02
Secondly, read the terms and conditions of the contract carefully and understand the cancellation and change rulesBefore signing a travel contract or making an online reservation, it is important to read all the terms and conditions of the contract, especially the cancellation policy, refund rules and limitation of liability.
When booking flights, hotels or travel packages, pay special attention to the rules of change and refund and be aware of the additional fees that may be incurred.
03
Third, compare prices and services, not just based on price, but also compare the quality of service, customer reviews and after-sales service provided by different platforms or travel agencies.
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Fourth, plan in advance: Plan your itinerary and book in advance during peak travel periods, such as May Day, National Day and other holidays, to avoid price increases or inadequate services caused by temporary bookings.
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Fifth, keep the transaction vouchers, protect your rights in a timely manner, and keep all the transaction vouchers and order confirmation information after completing the booking in case you need it. In case of service problems or damage to their rights and interests, consumers should promptly complain to the platform and seek solutions. If the platform fails to properly handle the matter, it can file a complaint with the relevant regulatory authorities or consumer associations to protect its legitimate rights and interests.
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Finally, consumers should also pay close attention to official information and travel tips issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and avoid participating in tourism projects that may be risky for "unreasonably low-priced tours".