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Mercury Holidays - Wonders of China. - China Holiday Tours

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We saw just about every special sight there was to see in China. The organisation and the care... read more

First they use China eastern airways. Well firstly after reading bad reviews, it wasn't bad, yes... read more

Mercury Holidays - Wonders of China.

Returned from our Wonders Of China 16 day trip with Mercury holidays. Had a brilliant time and i would like to think that all 31 of us mixed very well from the start. Have read the previous reviews of this holiday and would heartily agree with them all and only have a few comments to add. It was disappointing to find that the Admin side of Mercury were a little lax to say the least. After booking this holiday i had to ring them to get a confirmation e-mail to say i had paid a deposit. I was told that we would receive our tickets within fourteen days of departure. Needless to say no tickets arrived. Rang again and they said they were very busy and that i would get the tickets within 10 days. Still no tickets and actually got them 5 days prior to departure ( over a weekend) . Its a shame because its nice when all runs smoothly. Spoke to other folk on the trip and one couple got them 2 days before and another via email. I suggest they get there office staff sorted. Its no good telling me they are busy - i expect them to be busy as they are running a travel agency!! I decided to upgrade for the river cruise on the Yangtze and after having to ring twice i actually got an email to confirm the upgrade. Later on the tour the guide - Richard - had no knowledge of our upgrade and had to get in touch with the office to confirm our booking.Again not good enough. I found the hotels to be a bit of a mixed bag and the last one at Beijing was terrible. Had to go to the main desk to complain and was satisfactorily given another room. Not a very good hotel (Raddison blu) and we were there for four nights. One drawer and a very small hanging space. Minor issues really i suppose but things like this can mar an otherwise brilliant time. Of course there was a Conference going on at the time and it does mention in the 'blurb' at the bottom of the itinerary that hotels may be changed. We had to fly back to Shanghai from Beijing for the journey back to UK which is a bit of a 'pain' however there must be a good reason for this. For future holiday makers on this trip back to Shanghai please note that although you will still be air-side you will still have to travel thro security again prior to your flight back to UK. When we disembarked the Beijing flight you continue thro the airport with your guide. At some point he will have to leave you and then you will need to head for the J area on the third floor to go thro security again. On another point i would add that the rest room facilities on this trip were excellent. There were plenty of toilets around (although some of these are squat) and very clean as well. Our tour guide was very good in letting us know where and when the toilets were so no need to panic. There was a four hour coach journey and again we stopped twice en route for rest breaks. The trip on the Yangtze was very enjoyable. and of course not really within the control of Mercury Holidays. It would be wise to take a few bottles of drink with you as there is no where else to get them. The drinks are expensive on the cruise and there does not seem to be a restriction on the alcohol you may take on board provided you drink them in your cabin. You will find that you are unable to go ashore at any time unless you are on an organised tour - which i find is a bit of a shame. Our tour guide - Richard - was very knowledgeable and was able to answer most questions put to him however i felt rather than know what was going on in the first second and third dynasty then it would have much more interesting to be told what was going on right outside the coach window. Verbal diarrhea methinks ! Nevertheless a brilliant holiday - good food- good company and would not hesitate to go with Mercury Holidays again. In fact i am just looking at there Vietnam holiday.

We booked a Sinorama Tours package for China, Yangtze River Cruise and Bangkok. We will never book another package with them. Supposedly controlled solely by the corporate offices in Montreal, their policies were inflexible and uncaring. Overall, our tour guides were excellent at their jobs but were delegated little authority when having to address group issues, make decisions or resolve problems timely. Based upon Sinorama's advertising and printed itineraries, we expected specific high-quality hotels in convenient locations (or similar) in every city. Not only did Sinorama make last-minute changes to the hotels but booked properties well out of the tourist areas. Hence, we spent hours upon hours by bus in massive traffic jams traveling from hotel to attractions and return. The quality of the group meals, especially dinner, was horrendous...and the quantity even worse. One smallish piece of fatty skin per person was their version of "Peking" duck! A plate of what resembled canned corn was frequently one of the dishes served to us for dinner. The lunches were by far superior, as most were good buffets. When being able to have a meal can be substantially delayed because one of the other buses arrived before ours and there was no seating, then something was terribly wrong with Sinorama's planning. We were on tour to visit historic and scenic attractions. When those visits were cut short or subject to ridiculous time constraints because we needed to be at a so-called silk factory, pearl/jade factory, private art gallery or tea shop, so that our hoped-for purchases would generate commissions, then there is something terribly wrong with that picture. In those few instances where we insisted that we would not join the group in some activity or join them later, we had a fantastic time touring on our own at our own pace and without the commercial advertising. We travel frequently and totally understand the importance of structure and schedule. But with Sinorama, they wanted to control every moment of every waking (and sleeping) hour to a fault. It was not a pleasant experience.

We just returned from a two week tour to China with Colette tours. First of all, our biggest complaint was the tour group size. When we booked the tour we were told it would be limited to 20 to 24 people but when we arrived we had 40 people in our group. You can imagine how long it took to do everything from boarding the bus to bathroom breaks to checking into hotel. Speaking to Collette after the tour they apologized Saying that it was a training issue and that their tours could be up to 40 people. For the 4 hotels that we had, Two were decent but two were very poor with moldy bathrooms and stains on the carpet and bad locations. They may advertise five-star accommodations but in China five star equals three stars in the US. The Yangtze river cruise line, Victoria was only average with very small rooms and average food. There were three flights between the cities but after one we had a five hour bus ride in a cramped bus. Our tour guide,, Link, was wonderful as well as the local guides. Days who are very packed with very little free time. The terra-cotta warriors, the great wall were the highlights. Overall, I would not recommend this tour line And if I had it to do it over again I would spend a little more for an upscale tour

We did the Nexus China Discovery + Xian Terracota Warriers. We were in a group tour of 45 people which is too large, fortunately it was a great group with everyone mixing and having fun. The areas we went were of great cultural significance and wonderful to see, unfortunately we were not given enough time to enjoy the sightseeing and walk around freely to enjoy. We were given far too much time in what the guides called cultural experiences which were nothing other than shopping/selling expeditions. For example the Art Ceramics factory, Cloisonné factory, Jade exhibition, Pearl exhibition, & Silk Spinning mill - they were all very large shops with a captive audience and no where else to go. At the Chinese Herb institute and the tea plantation you are herded into a room and kept there for a short spiel then the hard sell starts and continues till you leave the room. In Xian even though our accommodation was walking distance to the old city wall and beautiful gardens we did not get enough time to walk or bike ride along the old wall, enjoy the gardens or see the old city. In Wuxi, Suzhou & Hangzhou much the same - limited time to to enjoy the gardens, canals or local streets. In particular our West Lake boat ride was very disappointing, it was far too wet with minimal visibility when we went and then when the weather was better we spent out time in a room with people trying to sell us tea and tea products. Most of the hotels were no where near anything interesting and far too far away to be able to enjoy the occasional "free time". If you did not do all the "at your own expense" activities you did not get the opportunity to do anything else. The majority of the meals were average to say the least as the places we were taken to catered for large tourist groups and the focus was to get you in & out in about 30min - in one instance some of the food was on the tables before we even sat down. The only opportunity we had to experience local food on our own was in Beijing. Despite all the above we had some great experiences, had fun with our group, saw key areas in China and got an insight into whether we would like to go back again. Suggest you look at tour group itineraries and use that as a guide to plan your own then go prepared with the Chinese equivalent of google search and google translate on your mobile. Pick accommodation close to where you want to be as there is nothing in the outer areas in each city, taxis are cheap but communication a real problem.

We have just returned from a 17 day trip with China Holidays Ltd, London. We were on a private tour of Beijing, Shanghi, Xian, Gillian and Hong Kong. We had 2 internal flights and 2 bullet train trips, visited the Great Wall and the Warriors. It all went like clockwork as per schedule and everywhere had a local guide. Would recommend this trip, although you do have to be pretty fit as some days the trips started at 7 am. We also had super centrally located hotels.

We recently returned from a wonderful adventure in China. We had travelled as members of the Nexus China Discovery Tour which took in highlights of Beijing, Shanghai, Wuxi, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Hong Kong. We found Nexus to be highly organised and supportive throughout the tour. Every hotel was well chosen and the breakfasts and lunches provided were enjoyable. Our guides were excellent- knowledgeable, informative, entertaining and willing to take questions at all times. Our tour leader Jackie Cheung was outstanding! He gave us immense insights into the many cultures of China, its history and heritage. He also assisted us expertly with a major dilemma resulting from a theft and supported us patiently when we had to liaise with the police. As a result we strongly recommend Nexus Holidays.

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China and Japan's Rail Odyssey

China and japan's rail odyssey.

Fantastic people to deal with...

Fantastic people to deal with easy to book a great holiday. The price are very competitive and can be much cheaper than high street names. Some of our photos of mauritius

Fabulous holiday with Mercury in...

Fabulous holiday with Mercury in Mauritius. Good communication throughout and customer service was great. Transfers were all seamless and well organised. Excellent value for money. Would definitely use Mercury again.

Malta - The gem of...

Malta - The gem of the Med.. Mercury holidays did a really good deal for single room St Pauls bay. The Rep, Jonathon (a local person) was excellent. Straight to the point, helpful and not trying to push excursions on me. I intend to use Mercury more often

My wife and I have...

My wife and I have just returned from the Sacred Peru tour (with Tumbes Beach extension). What a fantastic holiday with brilliant organisation by Mercury! Fabulous tour guides including Hildana and Erica (who were very attentive and knowledgeable) but a special shout out to Magalie who really is a brilliant asset to Mercury. She was attentive to every detail and everybody's needs, more often than not anticipating them rather than having to react to them (for instance with regard to supplying plentiful bottles of water, though the list is truly endless). Mercury's planning from start to finish was impeccable, with the number and quality of the meals being provided a real plus. Our only suggestions for improvement would be a) allow some time to freshen up and eat some breakfast on initial arrival in Lima (we were whisked straightaway into a bus and walking tour of the capital) and b) it would have been nice to have been told BEFORE we arrived in Peru that our transfers from Tumbes Airport to our accommodation in Vichayito were going to take two and a half hours each way. We would definitely recommend Mercury and will most certainly be using again.

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Low deposit.

Mercury Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 295 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 84 days before departure.

Cancellation Policy

We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of mercury holidays charges.

Up to 84 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

At 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

At 43 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.

At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.

At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

At 0 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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China’s Golden Week Holiday: What’s Driving Outbound Travel

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

April 24th, 2024 at 3:30 AM EDT

Understanding what Chinese travelers want is crucial for stakeholders in the tourism industry to tailor offerings and experiences that match these changing preferences.

Peden Doma Bhutia

Destinations in the Middle East are emerging as favorites for China’s upcoming May Day holiday, commonly known as Golden Week.

Overall outbound travel from China during this year’s holiday is still lagging behind 2019 levels by 13%. But travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has surged by 66%, and Turkey has experienced a significant growth of 56%, according to ticket sales data from ForwardKeys.

Increased seat capacity from Africa and the Middle East, which is set to expand by 75% in the second quarter, has led to this surge in travel.

Corresponding increases in seat capacity to China have backed the travel growth rates of 56% to Turkey, 19% to Italy, and 12% to the UK.

Last month, Trip.com, China’s biggest online travel agency, announced record bookings in Abu Dhabi, exceeding 57,000 room nights over the past 12 months. From 2022 to 2023, outbound travel orders across all products from Chinese travelers to the UAE surged by more than threefold.

Chinese outbound travel to Middle East had already reached pre-pandemic levels during the Chinese New Year period in February.

Pre-Pandemic Travel Patterns

ForwardKeys anticipates that the May holiday will witness notable travel peaks around April 27 and May 1, closely resembling pre-pandemic travel patterns.

In the Asian region, Malaysia has emerged as the top-performing destination for Chinese travelers, with flight bookings currently 42% ahead of 2019 levels. Because of more lenient visa policies, including visa-free travel to Malaysia and Singapore, and streamlined procedures for South Korea, travel to these destinations is expected to surpass 2019 levels in May.

These findings align with insights from Dragon Trail’s Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report , releasing later on Wednesday. According to the report, visa-free policies, direct flights, and simplified application procedures are also making outbound travel more appealing and accessible.

According to ForwardKeys, a notable shift in passenger profiles is the decrease in group travellers, which has dropped by 53% compared to 2019 levels. In contrast, solo travellers are showing a strong interest in exploring Asian destinations, with a 9% increase.

The Dragon Trail report also highlights growing preference for independent travel among Chinese tourists. Travelers also prefer, semi-self-guided travel and boutique groups of 6-10 people, which offer flexibility and convenience.

Value-Oriented Approach

Along with flexibility and convenience, Chinese travelers are also seeking relaxation and comfort in their trips.

Amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and China’s economic downturn in 2023, Chinese travelers are prioritizing relaxation and comfort in their trips.

The economic pressures have led to a value-oriented approach to travel planning, with a majority carefully considering their spending to maximize value and opting for affordable travel options.

Around 20% of respondents who said they would not travel outbound in 2024 cite limited income as a barrier. Only a small percentage (11%) are willing to pay a premium for superior products and services.

Most travelers allocate less than 20% of their income for travel, with budgets typically ranging from RMB10,000 to RMB30,000 for upcoming trips.

Despite budget-consciousness, shopping remains an integral part of outbound travel, with more than two-thirds of travelers spending a minimum of RMB2,000 (US$276) per trip. Local foods and souvenirs are the primary shopping categories, followed by cosmetics, clothing, shoes and bags.

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Tags: asia monthly , budget travel , china , china outbound , golden week , middle east , shopping , turkey , uae

Photo credit: Overall outbound travel from China during this year's May holiday is 13% behind 2019. Florence Lo / Reuters

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Golden Week crowds greeted with high temperatures as holiday period kicks off

Temperatures soared Sunday across a broad swath of the country, as Japan marked the second day of the Golden Week holiday period, with millions of travelers venturing to both international and domestic destinations.

Meanwhile, Osaka and central Tokyo reached 28 C, well above averages for this time of year, while Nagoya hit 28.3 C. The mercury in the cities of Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, and Fukushima also hit 30 C.

As Japan began its Golden Week holidays, which last until May 6, crowds of travelers headed to airports and train stations for trips to visit their hometowns or resorts, with families carrying hefty suitcases forming lengthy lines at airline counters.

Around 835,200 people were projected to travel through Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture for international flights and 263,300 people for domestic flights during the busy holiday period.

An estimated 23.3 million people in Japan, about 90% of pre-pandemic levels, were expected to travel during the 11-day period, according to a report from travel agency JTB.

The Golden Week holidays this year are the first since the government downgraded the classification of COVID-19 to match that of the seasonal flu last May, lifting all remaining travel guidelines due to the virus.

Destinations consistently favored by Japanese tourists such as Hawaii and Guam were popular, while nearby South Korea and Taiwan were choices for those mindful of the weak yen, as reported by NHK.

A total of 2.96 million seats were booked for bullet trains and other reserved trains from Friday up until the end of the holiday period, a 16% increase from last year, according to the nation’s six Japan Railway operators.

But rain could put a damper on plans in some areas on Monday, when a low-pressure system is expected to approach western Japan, with rain likely drenching the Kyushu region from the morning and spreading to the Chugoku and Shikoku areas around noon. Some areas are expected to experience heavy rain and thunderstorms.

In the Kinki region, rain is expected starting in the evening, but the Tokai, Kanto and Hokuriku regions may see some sun with a chance of rain at night. In Okinawa, rain and thunderstorms are likely until around noon, mainly in the southern islands.

Tokyo, Nagoya and Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture, were forecast to see temperatures of 27 C, 25 C and 29 C, respectively.

On Tuesday, rain is anticipated from the Kyushu to Kanto areas, mainly in the morning. In the Tohoku region and Hokkaido, showers are likely to continue into the afternoon, possibly turning into heavy rainfall.

Wednesday will see scattered rain in Okinawa, Kyushu, extending to Kanto, but the skies are forecast to clear on Thursday from Kyushu to Hokkaido, potentially creating ideal conditions for Golden Week outings next weekend.

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