Since Japan opened travel market to China last year,the package tour expenses slumped from 20,000yuan (US$2409.60)for a week-long tour to more than 8,000yuan for a five-day tour,or down some 50percent,the Beijing Morning Post reported today.

Some large travel agencies,such as China International Travel Services and China Travel Agency,have dropped the prices of their five-day Japan tour to 8,180-8,450yuan,with Beijing Shenzhou International Travel Agency claiming theirs is lowest price nationwide,or 8,088yuan.

The special offer will start on August 4and 5,and compared with the traditional week-long tour,the new tour will also cover famous scenic spots such as Tokyo,Osaka,Nagoya and Disney,but its price is only 50percent that of the original one,said the spokesman with the marketing department of the Shenzhou International Travel Agency.Though the price has gone down,the quality of the package tour won't decline,because the travel agency haven't planned any price cuts,but cheaper airfares are offered by the airline companies,the spokesman said.

By August,Japan Airlines will celebrate its 50th anniversary,so it offered preferential airfares to its business partner,the Shenzhou International Travel Agency.

The airfares of flight-chartering tours are only half of normal airfares,so most travel agencies adopted flight-chartering tours,said the spokesman with the Comfort International Travel Agency.

The tougher price war in the travel market has meant smaller profits for travel agencies,and if it continues,the travel quality cannot be assured,an insider said.

(Eastday.com.cn 06/22/2001)