By Karla Cripps, CNN
October 4, 2013 -- Updated 0024 GMT (0824 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- China's first tourism law came into effect October 1
- Law covers tourist safety, unfair competition, price hikes and forced goods purchases
- Guidebook released in September aims to educate Chinese tourists on overseas etiquette
(CNN) -- Travel operators in China have a huge new set of rules to follow now that the country's first tourism law is in place.
Approved in April, the 112-article law came into effect October 1 and aims to promote sustained industry growth.
It includes measures to address issues -- mostly in the domestic industry -- such as tourist safety, unfair competition and forced shopping trips, in which agencies offer cheap tours but recoup their costs from commissions in partner shops.