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Dear Guy,
As 2004 draws to a close, travel consultants interested in learning more about China should join our March 2005 Educational trip. Please click here for details, now!
2004 has been a terrific year for travel to China - the total number of visitors is just shy of the record set in 2002. Given the rise of the Euro against the Dollar, it is likely that China's tourism industry will receive record numbers in 2005. So, please read this email, pass it on to your colleagues, join our Educational trip, and learn more about China!
This edition is packed with useful information for the luxury traveler, including:
- The newest restaurant on Shanghai's Bund.
- Details of our 2006 Culinary Tour.
- An evaluation of Beijing's top luxury hotels.
- The latest news on China's visa policy.
- A guest's article on Chengdu's Panda Research Center.
- The latest news of Argentinean explorer Diego Azubel's 2,000 mile trek across the Himalaya in the middle of winter.
We hope you enjoy this short journey into China!
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Virtuoso's China Onsite
Traveling China...in style
Phone us at 888 888 1970
Or come visit our website! |
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China Travel News
New Visa Restrictions For Visiting American Tourists
In a tit-for-tat visa policy spat, China has made it almost impossible for visiting U.S. citizens to get on-the-spot tourist visas at China's borders. This new and temporary restriction specifically targets U.S. citizens, as a result of rules the U.S. government has imposed on Chinese citizens visiting the USA since 9/11. As a result, we ask you to please double check that you get your clients' China tourist visa arrangements absolutely correct before they arrive in China.
Planning For A Second International Airport in Beijing
No sooner has ground been broken on the $2 Billion third terminal at Beijing's current airport, than the government has announced the opening of a second international airport in Beijing.
Annual traffic at Beijing International Airport, China's busiest, is expected to increase from 23.5 million passengers in 2003 to 60 million by 2015. That's when the second international airport, with a capacity of 50 million passengers per year, will be put into operation.
Disney sets an opening date for its Hong Kong Theme Park
While Disney has invested $314 million to own 43% of Hong Kong's new theme park, the Hong Kong government has invested nine times more, $2.8 billion, in this project which is aimed at boosting Hong Kong's tourist industry. Recently, the Hong Kong Disney Theme Park's President, Richard Iger, announced that the opening date would be October 14, 2005.
Fierce Competition To Run New Flights To China
Our July newsletter reported the significance of the July 2004 airline agreement between China and USA. Three months later, we are seeing its first results. Delta, American, Continental, Hawaiian and North American airlines are lobbying for the right to supply the two extra round trip flights that China has recently authorised to begin in March 2005. The China passenger flight market, which has grown by 53% since 2000, offers rare potential for the US airline industry.
Imperial Tours' wins "National Geographic Traveler" award
Imperial Tours is delighted to have been awarded "World Travel Expert" status in October's "National Geographic Traveler" magazine survey. This follows our "A-list" award in September's edition of "Travel + Leisure" magazine. We are grateful for this industry recognition, and will continue in our efforts to offer nothing but the highest quality luxury tours in China.
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Hotel/Restaurant News
Restaurant News
STOP PRESS! On 29th November, "Sens & Bund", a restaurant by Jacques & Laurent Pourcel, will open within a new lifestyle center at "Bund 18" in Shanghai. The twin brothers are restaurateurs from Montpellier, France where they run "Le Jardin des Sens", a three star Michelin restaurant. Following hot on the heels of "Jean-Georges" at "Three on the Bund", and in the tradition set by the still popular "M on the Bund", the new restaurant emphasizes the Bund's prominence in the global restaurant scene. Imperial Tours looks forward to taking its guests there. (We will review this restaurant for you in our next broadcast in the new year.)
Hotel News
As part of an on-going series, we are reviewing China's top hotels. This first installment focuses on Beijing:
St Regis Hotel - (Virtuoso property) Located in the diplomatic area, this hotel's key strength is its sophistication: a product of its elegant European-style lobby, its low room count (273) and its vaunted butler room service. We feel that the Deluxe Room (280 square feet) is cramped, and so Imperial Tours' starting room category is the Executive Deluxe Room (400 square feet). For VIPs we would recommend a starting room category of Diplomatic Deluxe Room (560 square feet).
Peninsula Palace Hotel - (Virtuoso property) Well-situated by Wangfujing in the tourist center, the Peninsula Palace has some of the best suites in Beijing. Imperial Tours favors the Executive Suite (500 square feet) and the Beijing Suite (1,000 square feet). Its western and Chinese restaurants, "Jing", and "Huangting", are both to be recommended. Be warned, however, that if you book over the internet you can come unstuck at this hotel: their un-renovated rooms, sometimes offered at discount prices, are to be avoided.
Grand Hyatt Hotel - Well-situated in the tourist center, the Grand Hyatt's rooms are usually well-proportioned (Grand Rooms - ask for the 330 square feet rooms, and Grand Deluxe Rooms - 480 square feet). Apart from good Food & Beverage, the super-large swimming pool, built to resemble a Bali beach, is a must for families. If customers want a room with a view, the Diplomatic Suite on the hotel's northwest corner overlooks the Forbidden City.
China World Hotel - Following their recent, well-publicized $22 million lobby renovation, the China World Hotel, located in Beijing's most prestigious office tower, has become the Shangri-la's flagship capital hotel. This property's room count (716 rooms) and high capacity restaurants reflect the institutional feel of this hotel, well-suited for incentive and other large groups. It is a good corporate hotel but not in the same league as the three above-mentioned properties for the luxury tourist.
Kerry Centre Hotel - Also managed by the Shangri-la group, the Kerry Centre hotel is located in the business district behind the China World Hotel. It offers spacious rooms (Deluxe Room - 340 square feet) as well as one of Beijing's largest fitness centers. The lobby was recently renovated and much improved. Imperial Tours formerly used the Kerry Centre but moved because the lobby atmosphere is a little too corporate, and the Shangri-la brand is not well known in the U.S. market.
Beijing Grand Hotel - This hotel features on many of our competitors itineraries. It is extremely well-located, not far from the Grand Hyatt, north east of Tiananmen Square. Some of its suites overlook the Forbidden City. It is owned and managed by the local government. Service, food, beverage, decor and facilities are well below the standard of all the above mentioned hotels.
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Calendar
Beijing
December 15 - 17, 2004: Ballet "Swan Lake" by Russia's National Pushkin Ballet Troupe at the Baoli Theater. Ticket Price: (RMB) 120/ 180/ 280/ 380/ 500/ 680/ 880.
December 17 - 19, 2004: World Championship International Figure Skating Tournament at the Capital Sport Gymnasium. Ticket Price: (RMB) 50/ 100/ 200/ 300/ 500/ 800.
December 26 - 28, 2004: Concert by the Vienna Academic Philharmonic Orchestra at the Century Theater. Ticket Price: (RMB) 180/ 380/ 480/ 580/ 680/ 880.
December 29 - 31, 2004: Concert by Vienna's Johan Strauss Waltz Orchestra at the Century Theater. Ticket Price: (RMB) 180/ 380 /580 /680 /880 / 1800.
December 28 - 29, 2004: New Year Concert by the Berlin RIAS Philharmonic Orchestra at the Baoli Theater. Ticket Price: (RMB) 120/ 180/ 380/ 680/ 880/ 1000.
January 1 - 2, 2005: New Year Concert by Chinese Soloists. Piano - Lang Lang; Cello - Wang Jian; Soprano - Huangying and Mao Amin; Tenor - Zhang Jianyi, and conducted by Yu Long at the Baoli Theater. Ticket Price: (RMB) 120/ 180/ 380/ 680/ 880/ 1000.
January 26 - February 15, 2005: Popular Ballet Episodes performed by the Russian National Ballet Troupe at the Baoli Theater. Ticket Price:(RMB) 60/ 100/ 200/ 300/ 500/ 800/ 1000/ 1200.
Shanghai
November 26 - 28, 2004: Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance at Shanghai Grand Stage. Ticket Price: (RMB) 180/ 280/ 380/ 480/ 580/ 680/ 880
December 1st, 2004: Arcadi Aolodos Piano Solo Concert at Shanghai Concert Hall. Ticket Price: (RMB) 100/ 200/ 400/ 600/ 800.
December 3rd, 2004: James Morrison Jazz Concert at Shanghai Concert Hall. Ticket Price: (RMB) 20/ 80/ 180/ 280/ 380.
December 18th, 2004 to March 5th, 2005: Phantom of the Opera at the Shanghai Grand Theater. Ticket Price: (RMB) 200/ 400/ 800/ 1200/ 1600/ 2000
Imperial Tours' Tour Calendar
March 2005 China Educational Tour - To read an itinerary for this trip, please click here.
July 2005 China Family Tour - Please click here to read an itinerary.
May 2006 China Culinary Tour - Please click here for an itinerary.
(Please note Margot Kong's interview on KGO Radio, originally scheduled for November 20th , has been post-phoned to 2005. We will inform you of the new date, when it is scheduled.)
Please also act on our end of year Special Offer, by which all 2005 group tours booked before December 31, 2004 qualify for 2004 prices.
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Odds N Ends
Argentinean explorer Diego Azubel is the first person to have documented the entire length of the Ming dynasty Great Wall. His arduous fifteen month trek, nine months of which he undertook alone, took him across 3,000 miles of China's northern borderlands. You can see photographs of this trek from the western desert to the eastern seaboard by clicking here.
Diego is now one month into his second expedition, in which he recreates the trek of Nain Singh, a nineteenth century Indian mapmaker, across 2,000 miles of the Himalayan mountain range in the depths of winter. This is a challenge that Diego faces in order to raise funds and awareness for the Special Olympics organization in China.
Many would balk at -10 degree Fahrenheit temperatures, at carrying a 60lb backpack through vertiginous 15,000 feet mountain passes, at the possibility of being mauled by fierce mastiff guard dogs, or at being numbed by the freezing Himalayan gales. Not Diego: neither certain nor mindful of the distance to his next meal or drink of water, he walks on.
His problems were recently compounded when his route took him through a Maoist stronghold in the midst of Nepal's civil war!
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Protecting Pandas
An article by Sue Naessens (Imperial Tours client, 9/03)
"China boasts many treasures with its long history and rich cultural heritage. The Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors and Forbidden City readily come to mind. Museums overflow with art of every genre. Silk embroidery is nationally famous. Classical gardens, spectacular scenery, delicious food.... what more could one wish for?
Pandas!
Pandas are truly a national treasure of China, especially as they are an endangered species. My husband Jim and I love animals, so when we began planning our trip, seeing pandas was a high priority. Discovering however that most package tours rarely include even a visit to a zoo, we began investigating independent travel.
Margot Kong of Imperial Tours (www.imperialtours.net) helped us put together the trip of a lifetime by tailoring an itinerary to our interests. We enjoyed a cruise on the Yangtze and visited seven cities, one of which was Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, home to the giant panda."
Click here to read the remainder of this excellent article about China's pandas at the "Giant Panda Breeding Research Base".
(This article was originally published by the "Rochester Post Bulletin" on September 10th, 2004)
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We hope you enjoyed this newsletter. As always, please do write back with any feedback that you would like us to incorporate. Alternatively, please call Margot Kong, our Director of Sales and Marketing, in San Francisco, at 888 888 1970.
With Best Regards,
Guy Rubin
Managing Partner, Imperial Tours
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