HOW TO SELL CHINA
“Few destinations deliver on
expectations like China – from standing atop the Great Wall to seeing giant pandas close up”
Jiuzhaigou; a bridge in Jiansu; giant panda
China's traditional face, seen in Shanghai
Joining an escorted tour also means that entry to the top attractions is included, there's no need to queue and clients have a tour director on hand to explain the sights. However, China also appeals to
'adventurer types' looking to explore areas other visitors don't. Plus, it can make for an educational family holiday, too, with several operators offering tours aimed at youngsters.
sell what? China can be overwhelming
for fi rst-time visitors, especially the crowds its popular sights attract, and its frenetic and fascinating cities. Whereas its scenery is simply breath- taking, no guide books can do justice to the grandeur of its mountains, mighty rivers or vast deserts. Food is another revelation: forget those bland Chinese takeaways in the UK as they bear no resemblance to the rich array of cuisines served up in different parts of the country.
sell when? With harsh winters in
much of China, the best time to visit is from late March until October or November. Early spring and autumn are particularly popular – although Beijing is prone to choking dust storms that sweep in from the nearby Gobi Desert in spring. Avoid 'Golden Weeks,' those national holidays when many Chinese travel home or take vacations. These are the Spring Festival, around Chinese New Year in late January or February, and National Day in early October.
what's new? China's 'honeypot'
tourist sights are well known and Beijing's Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, the Great Wall and Shanghai’s Colonial European-fl avoured district, The Bund, will be 'musts' for most visitors. The Terracotta Warriors and city wall of the ancient capital
Xian are other must-sees, as are the beguiling karst peaks and cormorant fi shermen of Guilin, the pandas and tea houses of Chengdu, a riverboat trip down the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges (past the imposing Three Gorges Dam), and mountains held sacred, such as Huangshan. Other sights worth suggesting include the preserved, historic water towns of the Yangtze Delta, notably pretty Hangzhou with its sublime West Lake and musical extravaganza, Impression West Lake (see page 43). Also, consider the ancient town
of Lijiang, in Yunnan province, with its Tibetan infl uence and colourful ethnic minority culture. For stunning natural beauty, the crystal-clear lakes and heavily forested mountains of the UNESCO- listed Jiuzhaigou National Park in northern Sichuan province are unsurpassed.
www.sellinglonghaul.com May 2013 43
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