4-MIN READ4-MINWynna WongPublished: 11:00am, 4 May 2026Updated: 11:04am, 4 May 2026Ultra-low-priced Hong Kong tour packages reliant on commissions and pushing mainland Chinese visitors to make additional purchases remain prevalent despite tighter government regulations, the South China Morning Post has found.
The business model has come under renewed scrutiny after the Travel Industry Authority revoked the licences of a travel agency and its tour guide over four cases of suspected coerced shopping between January and March.
The practice has also prompted concerns about the treatment of mainland tourists during their Labour Day “golden week” holiday, which runs from May 1 to 5.
While officials and industry representatives have described such cases as isolated, an SCMP reporter who joined a one-day local tour found that packages were priced as little as roughly 48 yuan (US$7) per person, but structured to generate additional revenue through optional activities and shopping stops.
The tour, booked via mainland platform Fliggy, included transport, a group lunch and visits to attractions such as Wong Tai Sin Temple, the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and the West Kowloon Cultural District.
On the day of the tour, a guide told the SCMP reporter that some people had signed up via Xianyu, which is mainly a marketplace platform for second-hand goods, for as little as 1 yuan.
