At a time when the managers of scenic spots are bracing for swarms of tourists from across the country during the National Day "Golden Week" holiday, it has been revealed that some businesses in popular scenic spots have been charging tourists exorbitant prices for goods they peddle in a deceptive way.

According to a Xinhua News Agency report, some stores in Zhangjiajie, a tourist attraction in Hunan province, recently tried to sell what they claimed were health products to tourists with the help of promotion campaigns featuring some self-proclaimed "instructors" and "masters". These promoters of the products not only overstated the benefits of the products in aiding sleep and the treatment of diseases, they went so far as to promote their efficacy in driving away bad luck.

As National Day approaches, such fraud targeted at tourists, if not strictly cracked down on, will encourage similar malpractices aimed at tourists at other times. That most tourists at scenic spots are onetime customers emboldens the sellers in their activities and they have no worries about the consequences of tourists making complaints about them.