Tourist Trap

Be wary when you buy things in China, especially during group tours.

From: http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201009301508-189065.html

北京导游网上讥笑狮城游客　呆笨好骗

新加坡游客最好骗？有中国导游竟取笑新加坡人是“又呆又傻又笨的游客”！

中国一个网站论坛，近日以“呆而傻的新加坡人”为题大作文章，引述北京导游的话说，新加坡团最容易带，因为新加坡人特别傻和笨，不管导游说什么，随便编个理由说服他们买东西，他们都深信不疑。

据当地导游形容，只要带新加坡游客上中药堂或体育场，10多名中医师或按摩师出马，为他们把把脉、按摩几下，告诉他们健康出了大问题，他们一定肯花上万元来买药。所以新加坡人的钱，实在太好赚了。

导游还透露，脚底按摩是最能赚钱的，即使一盒泡脚草药要320人民币（63新元），新加坡人也愿意买10盒来完成整个疗程。事实上，这种草药当地人花人民币3元5角就买得到。

当地导游举例，8天的北京、承德、天津团，真正浏览的时间连一半都不到，大部分时间都用在安排地点购物，除了中药堂、足底按摩推销泡脚药外，还有买售卖貔貅、玉器、丝绸、珍珠、茶叶等店，都是导游必带之处。

导游说，只要告诉新加坡游客，那些都是国营商店，他们都不会怀疑。导游也透露销售所得如何与店家、旅行社、司机和领队分配。

不过，曾带队到中国旅游的电台DJ林灵芝和罗克敏受访时说，新加坡人其实很精明，会让外地导游觉得容易骗，可能是种错觉，其实国人是舍得消费。

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I agree that Singaporeans are more willing to spend money overseas but I don't think that warrants being labelled as "gullible and stupid". Those pesky Chinese scammers should thank us instead for giving them revenue from foreign money. On the other hand, rich Chinese too, do spend loads of money in SG as well as other countries like Korea and Japan. That's why high-class, branded boutiques in SG are increasingly looking out for wealthy Chinese tai-tais to rake in profits. Salespersons are expected to converse well enough in Mandarin to deal with such huge-spenders.

But hey at least the shops in SG provide genuine goods, whereas goods bought from China are full of imitations and inferior quality. Who is playing dirty here now?

Personally I don't see much of a point doing so much shopping overseas when SG is already a shopping paradise with a wide range of goods available. Why buy something overseas when it can be bought locally? Isn't it better to circulate our cash within SG instead of letting other countries earn our money? The price difference wouldn't be that significant anyway, considering the much higher cost of travelling overseas.

The following are things that I'm more willing to spend on overseas:

- Food
Food is one main culture product which is difficult to exactly duplicate. Thus every country is able to uniquely offer food or taste that cannot be found in others. If you don't have the tongue to distinguish good food from mediocre ones then forget it =).

- Places of attractions
SG is pretty small and cannot offer a wide range of attractions which other countries boast. Admission fees may be expensive but it provides a different, exclusive, and probably once-in-a-lifetime experience that is beyond material satisfaction.

- Scenery (particularly the associated transportation costs)
This is what SG really lacks. I presume this is one of the most popular reasons why Singaporeans love to tour overseas?

- Souvenirs
Yea while you're enjoying yourselves, don't forget your family and friends back in SG.

I encourage all Singaporeans to be prudent in spending money overseas. It doesn't mean that if you have allocated, for instance, $1000 to spend during your trip, you must spend all of them completely. You might end up buying in impulse, useless stuffs that just look pretty and are hardly utilized. Spending so much overseas, just to return to SG and start saving crazily, even on things worth spending - that is really pointless.