In anticipation of an influx of Chinese free independent travelers (FIT) at the end of the month, the Consumers’ Foundation yesterday said its recent survey found that some major hotels that accommodate Chinese tourists charge unreasonably high prices for telephone calls made to areas such as China, Hong Kong and Macau.
Acknowledging the fact that many Chinese tourists need to make telephone calls to China while staying in hotels in Taiwan, the consumer rights watchdog recently surveyed 12 major hotels across the country that are popular choices for Chinese tourists and inquired about the rates that the hotels charge for calls to China and other countries.
The foundation discovered that while many hotels charge unreasonably high prices for -international calls, the Grand Hotel — which charges NT$96 per minute for calls made to China — is the most expensive. The foundation compared this price with the NT$13 per minute off-peak call tariff to China from a Chunghwa Telecom landline.
EXCESSIVE
The Grand Hotel also charges NT$92 per minute for calls to Hong Kong and NT$104 per minute for calls to Japan, compared with NT$10 and NT$13 respectively charged by Chunghwa Telecom during non-peak hours.
Sheraton Taipei was also found to charge excessive prices for international calls, at NT$66 per minute for calls to China, NT$63 per minute for calls to Hong Kong and NT$66 per minute for calls to Japan, the foundation said.
When asked about the prices charged for Internet access from a hotel room, the Grand Hotel was again the most expensive at NT$500 per day, the foundation said.
In contrast, certain hotels such as the Plaza International Hotel in Taichung, which charges from NT$16 to NT$20 per minute for calls made to China and Japan and NT$15 per minute for Macau and Hong Kong, are among the cheapest rates for international calls, the foundation said.
SERVICE CHARGES
Foundation secretary-general Chen Chih-yi (陳智義) said that when asked why they charge such unreasonably high prices for international calls, the hotels mostly responded by saying the premium came from service charges associated with the in-room international calls.
The foundation called on hotels that are popular with Chinese tourists to consider lowering their international call tariffs in order to show true hospitality and effectively boost the tourism market as a whole.
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