SYDNEY, Australia (28 Dec 2006) -- Racist bus drivers, rip-off merchants and dodgy car rental agencies are tarnishing Australia's reputation as a tourist destination. While the vast majority of foreign tourists enjoy their stay, an estimated 280,000 a year are unhappy with aspects of their Australian holiday. Complaints obtained under freedom of information laws show poor service, rudeness and dishonesty are the principal grievances. Australians in front-line tourism roles -- especially bus drivers -- are the most frequently complained of, says Tourism Australia. Rip-offs are also a common cause of complaint, with inflated prices and high-pressure tactics upsetting many. One tourist complained he paid 10 times the going rate for blood-pressure medication bought for him by a tour leader. So bad are the experiences of some South Korean shoppers that a Korean-language website has started warning fellow travellers to "be careful". Poor-quality rooms charged at top rates are another problem area. A group of Irish tourists complained that the hostel they had booked looked nothing like the pictures on the internet, and was not "brand new" as advertised. Car rental agencies accounted for a number of complaints, including one from an Indian couple who did not receive their $1500 security deposit back from a car rental agency. Despite a series of letters to consumer authorities, they still had not received the money five months later. | | The complaints follow research showing that many tourists, especially Asian visitors, are unhappy with their experiences on guided tours. A 2004 report on dissatisfied tourists from Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan found that on guided tours they were forced to spend too much time shopping, the choice of goods was poor and the prices high. Last year Australia received a record 5.5 million overseas visitors; they spent $19 billion. Tourism Australia chairman Tim Fischer said shonky operators let the industry down and members of the public should dob them in. "The vast majority have great experiences and our back interviewing of them at airports shows they have great experiences," he said. CDNN Related News AUSTRALIA - Japanese tourists tired of AustraliaAUSTRALIA - Australia's crude tourism campaign a 'bloody' $130 million flop |
