A new regulation giving hotels the right to prohibit guests from taking food and drink bought outside into their restaurants, pubs and dancing halls, has come under fire.

The China Tourist Hotels Industry Regulation - effective from today, has already caused wide concern as it forbids consumers from entering hotels with drinks bought elsewhere.

Some officials from the China Consumers' Association and some solicitors indicate that the regulation is an invasion into the rights of consumers.

Drafted by the 2,320-member China Tourist Hotels Association, the regulation is reported to be the first national guild regulation in China's consumer industries.

The association's deputy secretary-general Xu Jingsheng indicated that this stipulation took many issues into consideration, such as the high costs of hotels and food sanitation. Xu also noted that the regulation is in line with international practices in the hotel industry.

"As the association has not ratified any international clause, it does not have any obligation to abide by so-called international tradition," said Wang Qianhu, director of the Department of Consumer Complaints and Legal Affairs under the China Consumers' Association.

Wang noted that the main disagreement for consumers is the high price of drinks in hotels which can be bought for much less in a market.

A tin of Coca-Cola costs 25 yuan (US$3) at some five-star hotels in Beijing while you can buy it for as little as 2 yuan (24 US cents) at supermarkets.

Domestic-made wines are sold for some 40 yuan (US$4.80) around supermarkets in Beijing.

The sale of wines and drinks is profitable for domestic hotels as many of them suffer from deficit, tourist experts said.

Qiao Xinsheng, a professor with the Zhongnan University of Politics and Law, said the options of consumers will not be restricted as the regulation does not deprive consumers of their rights to choose hotels that allows consumers to take drinks bought elsewhere.

( China Daily May 1, 2002)