Old people tricked into forced shopping at 7 stores  

老人参加2000元港澳游被“关”进7个购物店(图)

香港素有“旅游天堂”的美誉，但对于沈阳市民李女士来说，刚刚经历的港澳双卧8日游却如同噩梦一般。“只要我们往购物店里一进，大门一关，窗帘一拉，不待够时间谁也甭想出来，由于憋在屋子里实在太难受，有的团员心脏病都差点儿犯了。” [查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Senior citizens who joined a package tour offered by a health product company in Liaoning were forced to shop at seven stores during their stay in Hong Kong and Macao, Shenyang Evening News reported.

On the second day after they arrived in Hong Kong, the tourists were forced to spend seven hours at various shops, but only half an hour sightseeing around Avenue of Stars.

"Tour guides led us to shops and blocked us from leaving by closing doors and drawing curtains. Salespeople then started trying to persuade us to buy things from the shops."

"Staying inside the shops with poor air, some old people were even on the verge of a heart attack," said a woman surnamed Li.

The eight-day tour package was offered by a health product company.

According to a promotion advertisement by the company, people who spend at least 3,200 yuan ($521) on the company's products can join the tour group for free, and people who don't buy products can also sign up for only 2,000 yuan.

"Officials from the company told us that they contracted with a travel agency to arrange the trip," said Li, who started the trip on March 2 by paying 2,000 yuan.

"Members of our tour group were all old people," Li said. "We were charged 200 yuan by the agency as a deposit used to keep us from compulsory purchases."

Li said members of the tour group were forced to "shop" at a total of seven stores, including jewelry shops, watch shops, duty-free stores and stores selling local specialties from Hong Kong and Macao.

The travel agency involved said it never arranged a travel group to Hong Kong or Macao starting in March.