The truth about overseas study tours: All tour and no study!

Overseas study tours allowing children to experience foreign cultures and expand their horizons have become a popular choice for parents during the summer vacation.

The value of the study tour market was put at 30 billion yuan (about 4.4 billion US dollars) last year, and is expected to increase by another 30% to 50% within the coming five years. 

But are parents and their children getting value for money? Possibly not, according to a special investigation by the People's Daily.

Overseas study tours have become a popular choice for parents during the summer vacation. [Photo: VCG]

What many children experience, according to the paper, is a 'Tour' without the 'Study.'

Overseas study tours are often advertised as a good opportunity for cross-cultural experience, and are usually more expensive than normal travel.

But it turns out that what many agencies provide for students is nothing more than sightseeing and shopping. 

"I paid 60 thousand yuan (about 8,893 US dollars) last summer, almost half of my annual income, for a study tour to Britain, which promised my daughter in-depth experience of Oxbridge, but she later told me they just walked around the campuses," one parent complained.

However, many parents are still happy to 'put their heads in the noose,' unwilling to fall behind in the 'competition' against other parents.

One parent said he was astonished when he found nearly 90% of his son's classmates, who were in fifth grade of primary school, had already travelled abroad on a study tour. "Those who have no such experience may feel themselves alienated in class," he said.

Experts suggest the qualifications of study tour agencies should be closely examined, and relevant regulations should be published as soon as possible.

"At present, there is no supervision in this field at all," President of the China Tourist Academy, Dai Bin, says. He worries that the lack of supervision will lead to misleading advertising, overpricing, and even safety problems.

"Instead of just following the herd, parents should figure out what activities fit their children best," Dai added.