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Imperial Tours Expands Product Offerings With New Experiences, Destinations In China
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 24, 2010) – Imperial Tours (www.imperialtours.net) is expanding its portfolio with the launch of ‘China Escapades,’ a new FIT product targeted to more independent and adventurous travelers seeking greater autonomy and a lower price to explore China’s intriguing sights, sounds and culture.
“With demand for travel to China growing, our research in the luxury travel advisor community has shown that there is a need for an alternative to our current ‘hosted’ FIT product at a more accessible price point so we developed China Escapades,” said Guy Rubin, Founder and Managing Partner of Imperial Tours. “China Escapades affords greater flexibility to appeal to these distinct consumers who are more experienced, adventurous and often repeat travelers to China,” he added.
With the launch of China Escapades, Imperial Tours is re-branding its existing FIT product – now to be called “Ultimate China,” ideal for consumers who want a ‘hosted luxury’ experience. Central to an Ultimate China itinerary is a China Host, a Westerner fluent in Chinese and living in China who ensures superior quality and immediate service for a flawless vacation from start to finish.
Imperial’s two private programs are customized to the needs of the individual traveler but the scope of services varies between the Ultimate China and China Escapades products as follows:
FIT Tour Elements Ultimate China China Escapades
1. Accommodations Best 5-Star Hotels Best 5-Star Hotels
2. Room Type Best Available Best Available
3. Private Cars Unlimited Availability Available until 10:30pm
4. Tour Support Local guides and Local guides and virtual concierge
China Host via mobile phone/24-hour access
5. Guide Gratuities Included Not included
6. Meals All meals included Breakfast & Lunch only
Dinner options & menus provided
7. Destinations All possible Lhasa, Dunhuang & Huangshan
not available
8. Special Activities All are available Most Offered
China Escapades clients seek more independence in their travels and not the extra service a China Host provides. These customers opt for direct rather than mediated contact with local Chinese suppliers to add to their overall understanding of China. For optimum service levels and the security of never being completely alone, China Escapades guests have access to a western Virtual Concierge through a pre-programmed mobile phone 24/7.
For enhanced flexibility, dinners are not included in China Escapades itineraries but Imperial provides guests with restaurant recommendations and designs suggested menus for them to enjoy in Chinese restaurants. The freedom to choose their own dinner options appeals to the whimsical spirit of this traveler.
The Ultimate China client, on the other hand, prefers that a China Host take care of all the details (such as wake-up calls, restaurant menus, shopping recommendations to non-commissionable venues, fine-tuning an itinerary in real-time, and more).
The China Escapades tours do not offer Lhasa, Dunhuang or Huangshan because Imperial feels a China Host is essential to implementing the company’s unique experiences on the ground in these areas.
“Expanding our portfolio to include both FIT products facilitates a wider and more flexible range of services enabling Imperial Tours to become a closer and more relevant partner to travel agencies in supplying luxury travel to China – namely small-group departures and FIT programs of different price points, inclusive activities and tour support,” Rubin noted.
To create China Escapades and clearly define what distinguishes the two products, Imperial Tours ran test programs and captured guest feedback on the key elements of the itinerary. Regardless of the type of FIT tour, Imperial Tours has access to exclusive activities and venues as a result of the company’s extensive ‘black book’ of connections throughout China.
In terms of price, Ultimate China programs cost approximately $1,300 per person, per day, and China Escapades are priced around $800 per person, per day (prices are based on two people traveling together on an FIT vacation).
Imperial Tours – Traveling China…in Style
The leading luxury tour operator based in China, Imperial Tours offers customized private tours and scheduled escorted group departures that combine local expertise with the high levels of service and quality expected by sophisticated Western travelers. Through its portfolio of programs and themed excursions, Imperial Tours provides the ‘best of the best’ in China encompassing accommodations, dining, sightseeing, experiences and much more at unrivaled value. Founded by Westerners in 1999, Imperial Tours has offices in Beijing, San Francisco, Offenbach (Germany) and Poole (UK).
A testament to its unparalleled knowledge and experience in planning luxury customized programs to China, Imperial Tours has been awarded the distinction of a ‘top travel specialist’ by Condé Nast Traveler in 2008 and 2009 and has been named to Travel + Leisure’s ‘A’ List of Super Agents every year between 2002 and 2009. In addition to top accolades, Imperial has been privileged to bring celebrities and royalty to China including Anthony Edwards, Natalie Portman, Michael Phelps, Sara Lee, Baroness Katherine de Rothschild, Katie Couric and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Contact Information
For more information, please call (888) 888-1970, send an e-mail to margot@imperialtours.net or visit www.imperialtours.net. Become a fan of Imperial Tours on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/imperialtours.
Note to Editors
High-resolution digital images of Imperial Tours/China are available upon request.
