Travelers may soon be able to obtain compensation from their tour agencies if the products they buy at designated stores turn out to be fakes.

The added protection is contained in a new travel contract that is being circulated for public comment and could go into effect around the end of the year. The contract would also address long-standing complaints about tours that are laden with shopping stops and lacking in cultural attractions.

According to the sample contract, tourists would be able to complain to their travel agencies within 90 days if an authorized appraisal shows their purchase at a shop that was part of a tour turns out to be counterfeit.

Tour agencies would be required to help their clients pursue the sellers for refunds. If that fails, the agencies would provide compensation, the contract said.

Tour agencies said they welcomed the new terms, which would help the development of the travel market by enhancing consumer protection.

"With the contract, tourists would feel more at ease," said Guo Guang, supervisor of the holiday business department of Ctrip.com, China's top online tour service company.

Agencies also said the contract stipulation would prompt them to choose stores with good reputations to decrease complaint rates.

Counterfeit art, crafts and jewelry are found mostly in souvenir stores, according to Shanghai Airlines Holiday Travel Service Co Ltd.

"We started compensation for counterfeit souvenirs even before the release of the proposed contract," said Hu Xin, supervisor of the company's public relations department.

Travelers can make suggestions on the sample at the official Websites of the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission and the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau.

The contract will also regulate the number and length of shopping stops during the trip.

Tourists have been complaining that some agencies spend much more time on shopping than sightseeing.