News from Tianjin Tourism Department is that Tianjin will build a new payment system for tour guides in 2010.
At present, there are two kinds of tour guides in Tianjin, full-time ones (20%) and part-time ones (80%). Full-time tour guides sign labor contracts with their employers and their payment consists of salary, insurance, and bonus subsidies. On the other hand there is no labor contract between part-time tour guides and travel agencies — they are paid based on the tour cost of the tour group they lead. As a result of this, many unprofessional part-time tour guides choose to cheat tourists or create problems on a tour to the guides economic benefit.
With the launch of the new tour guide payment system, it is expected that the tour guide industry will be gradually regulated and the interests of tour guides will be better protected so their interactions with tourists will be more harmonious.
So far, Tianjin has made 2010 the year for improving travel service quality. To Achieve this the municipal tourism department will work with the parties concerned to carry out reforms on the payment of tour guides. The new payment system is expected to focus on a basic salary and service fee with tour cost related subsidies for tour guides.
