The 900 yuan (US$108.4) charges of six-day Hainan tour is really heart-touching to Shanghai people and it is the first time for the charges to be cut below 1,000 yuan, eastday.com reported today.

Under such charges, tourists can enjoy three star-rated hotels in the six-day tour.

The Hainan tour charges were cut by 350 yuan in just ten days and the travel agencies are sure to make deficits by offering such low prices, said an industry analyst. Some small travel agencies previously offered 1,080 yuan for five-day Hainan tour and were bound to lose money, let alone the 900 yuan charges, the analyst said.

The round-trip airfares of Shanghai to Hainan reached at least 1,000 yuan so how about the food and hotel charges, the analyst said doubtfully. Travel agencies can previously offer the 1,080 yuan charges for only three days or they cannot afford such big losses, the analyst added.

On May 18, the five-day Hainan tour charges were cut to 1,250 yuan by a travel agency in the Zhangyang Road, touching the bottom at that time, on May 25, the prices were cut to 1,200 yuan and two days later, four travel agencies in the Zhangyang Road offered 1,080 yuan of charges with more privileges provided for ten people in a group.

( eastday.com May 29, 2002)