THE drastic rise in jet fuel surcharges for domestic flights will drive up the prices of domestic package tours that mainly involve air travel by five to eight percent, yesterday's (Aug 29) Daily Sunshine reported.

The Daily Sunshine report also predicted that the tour prices would set a new record during the upcoming weeklong National Day holiday.

Starting from Sept. 1, the surcharge for each passenger flying less than 800 kilometers will rise to 60 yuan (US$7.50) from the current 30 yuan. Those flying further will have to pay a 100 yuan surcharge, up from 60 yuan.

The paper quoted different local tourist agencies as saying that most groups from Shenzhen travel by air both ways, and so the tour fees paid by them may rise significantly. For instance, those traveling to Jiuzhaigou, a popular scenic spot in Sichuan Province, may find themselves paying 10 per cent more, according to the paper.

It is expected that the increased fuel surcharge will force many travelers to take trains or buses during the holidays. An unidentified local travel agency manager said train or bus package tours could see more promotions in the future.

Meanwhile, with travel costs rising some Shenzhen-based travel agencies and Web sites have begun to promote installment payment tours.

People can go to Maldives with a down payment of just 600 yuan, said a traveler surnamed Liu, adding that the rest of the fee could be paid in parts.

Editor: Wing