About Us

It’s not just about the destination; it’s also about the journey

About Us

Founded in October 1999, by husband and wife team Guy Rubin and Nancy Kim, Imperial Tours began with the uncompromising vision of offering spectacular luxury travel exclusively throughout China. At that time nearly all ground-handling companies in China were state-owned enterprises – they did not understand Western visitors’ demands nor how to innovate remarkable experiences. Clients booking through well-known luxury tour operators in their home countries received shoddy and unimaginative vacations as a result, mistakenly believing that this was all China had to offer. China, meanwhile, was liberalizing at an astonishing rate with fabulous new restaurants and hotels opening every month across the country. This process has only accelerated in the intervening period.

Born in Israel, Guy was raised and educated in Britain, attending Cambridge University. His work for a London-based strategy consultancy opened his eyes to many countries across the northern hemisphere. First setting foot in Beijing in 1994, he was immediately smitten, and returned to study and live here in 1997. It was at a Chinese language university program in Beijing that he met Nancy. Born in Seoul, raised in Beverly Hills and schooled in Lugano, Nancy is able to bridge the gap between east and west. With a BA in Western art history from the University of Pennsylvania, and post-graduate degrees in East Asian art from the universities of London, Seoul and Beijing, Nancy is well qualified to advise on East Asian art and design.

They immediately saw the potential for luxury travel in China. Their vision was to offer spectacular travel experiences that responded to the tastes of the discerning visitor and to do justice to China’s incredible heritage. To this day their vision stands firm, as they continue to offer the very best when welcoming guests to experience the country they love.


Never have I been on a tour that was so well organized. I can't even tell you what a wonderful trip it was.

Mr. & Mrs. L., USA

ASSOCIATIONS & AWARDS

Since our foundation in 1999, Imperial Tours has been validated with membership in many of the world’s most renowned luxury travel consortiums. We are also privileged to be consistently endorsed by many prestigious consumer travel publications & organizations.

Pure
Pure Life Experiences is a leading experimental travel trade show bringing together industry leaders to meet and create life-enriching experiences. This “by-invitation only” conference has been attended by Imperial Tours every year since its formation in 2009.
American Express
The little blue box needs no introduction. Imperial Tours is proud to be the China supplier for its high end, customized travel platform, “Crafted Journeys”.
Signature
Signature, represents a network of over 6,000 travel professionals, serving the unique needs of discerning travelers worldwide. Imperial Tours has been a China destination specialist for Signature since 2006.
Select In-Country Partners
Travel Leaders Group, one of the largest travel companies in the world, has selected Imperial Tours to be its China In-Country Partner serving luxury travel agencies such as Altour, Andrew Harper, CTS, Protravel and Tzell.
Chad Certified 25

In 2017, Chad Clark Travel Ventures recognized our Banquet on the Great Wall as one of the top 25 experiences of 2017.

Travel + Leisure A-List
Since 2002, Travel + Leisure has maintained Imperial Tours as an A-List Super Agent. Imperial Tours is also honoured to have been recognized on Travel + Leisure’s exclusive top 10 power brokers list while it ran from 2011 to 2015 consecutively.

SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION

Imperial Tours’ corporate social contribution program focuses on the welfare of underprivileged children. Our Guest Feedback program promotes charitable giving; for every completed feedback form received from our guests, we donate US$15 towards one of two charities, chosen by our guests. We support Half the Sky, which provides orphaned children with loving influences as they await family placement, and Shanghai Sunrise, which funds education for underprivileged students in Shanghai. In addition, once a year Imperial Tours recognizes our top agents and agencies by sponsoring the education of underprivileged students within China.

WORK WITH US

We encourage talented individuals who are passionate about travel to send us a CV explaining how you might contribute to Imperial Tours. We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the following positions.

CHINA HOSTS

Apart from managing the tour and guaranteeing its overall quality, the China Host sets the pace and atmosphere of a tour. He or she is always watching for ways to customize and improve a tour while ensuring guests receive the highest standard in luxury travel. A China Host essentially acts as a bridge for cross-culture communication, helping guests negotiate China’s often unfamiliar and sometimes confounding environment. The ideal candidate for this role should be over 26 years of age, have been resident in China for several years, be a native speaker of English, speak fluent Mandarin and have past service industry experience. Additional languages are a plus. To apply for this position please send an email to newch@imperialtours.net with a detailed resume and cover letter explaining why you feel that you would make an excellent China Host.

TOUR GUIDES

Guides are vital not just to teach guests about China’s past history and culture, but also to share information about China’s present circumstances and future development. Guests visiting China are liable to be as interested in, for example, the provision of childcare centers as they might be in the manufacture of the Terracotta Warriors. A tour guide’s role is not to recite a litany of pre-learned information. Rather, a guide needs to take a leadership role in informing and teaching guests about China’s past, present and future. Imperial Torus has not taken a single guest that has not been impressed by China’s historic traditions and achievements as well as by its current development. If you are sure you can deepen this experience of your homeland, then please email newguide@imperialtours.net to tell us why.
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