Since the Xiamen-Gulangyu ferry route was adjusted last year, a big group of ticket scalpers have showed up in the Xiamen International Cruise Terminal.
The ferry tickets from Xiamen International Cruise Terminal to Gulangyu are always quickly sold out every morning, leaving hundreds of passengers waiting at the ticket office. Taking advantage of this situation, the scalpers can sell a 30-yuan ferry ticket for 150 to 300 yuan.
Passengers who bought the tickets are taken to an underground parking lot and then driven to Songyu Wharf in Haicang to take the ferry. A five-seat or seven-seat van stuffed with over 10 people sometimes has to wait in the parking lot for more than 40 minutes for the scalpers to collect enough passengers.
Though there are security guards who try to stop the scalpers, their efforts are resisted by the passengers who are eager to take the ferry. And these guards also face threats from the scalpers. “They are a big group. They even drove a car to hit us,” said a security guard.
Yesterday, the Xiamen International Cruise Terminal announced that they had joined hands with local transportation departments, travel departments, and police departments to launch a crackdown on these scalpers. More security guards will be sent to the ferry terminal and owners of the vehicles involved in such cases will be fined at least 10,000 yuan. The ticket office will also use broadcasting, banners, and posters to discourage tourists from buying scalped tickets.