NEWS — SPECIAL REPORT
Wendy Wu Tours is marking its 10th year of operations in the UK with a raft of expansion plans, managing director Laurence Hicks tells LUCY HUXLEY
China specialist Wendy Wu Tours has unveiled plans to expand into Ireland and Europe and to launch luxury and land-only programmes on the back of 5% forecast growth this year.
Luxury range The operator is to unveil an Exclusive Collection of tours that it says have been “completely reshaped for the luxury market”. The programme will be aimed at the top end of the market with business class or premium economy flights, accommodation in the best luxury hotels, chauffeur transfers, private touring and inclusive activities in resort, such as the chance to feed pandas or take a bike ride on the Great Wall of China. The Exclusive Collection
will have its own website –
wendywuexclusive.co.uk – and a standalone brochure.
Ireland launch Wendy Wu Tours is “about to hit Ireland in a big way”, according to managing director Laurence Hicks. He said: “We think it’s a market in which we could do well. The economy is about to turn and there’s no China specialist operating there currently.” Hicks said he would be disappointed if the operator could not sell to at least 500 passengers from Ireland in the first year. He has applied for an Irish air licence. Wendy Wu Tours will produce
a dedicated brochure for the Irish market featuring 10 of its most popular tours. Hicks has done deals with airlines including Etihad and Turkish Airlines through their hubs, as well as using British Airways out of Heathrow. The operator is looking to
W e just add in more extras to show people the endy Wu Tours
value of what they’re getting if they book W
white-label, after its first attempt with a website promoting the Nine Villages tour proved successful. Hicks said
26 agents had white- labelled the site, meaning
their own logos and phone numbers are on
appoint a dedicated business development manager for Ireland.
Dutch acquisition Wendy Wu Tours is poised to acquire a Dutch outbound China specialist as it seeks to expand its presence in Europe. Hicks said: “The Dutch love touring. We will maintain the Dutch operator’s name initially, but add Wendy Wu product to its programme.”
He said the operator also had its
eye on the Scandinavian market, adding: “We thought it would be easier for a niche brand like ours to make an impact in smaller regions like the Netherlands and Scandinavia than trying to launch in a country like Germany.”
E-commerce drive Wendy Wu Tours is to create individual websites of its most popular tours for agents to
10 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 9 October 2014
it, plus “a booking form which shoots straight off to the agent”. Hicks said the white-label
websites were just one part of Wendy Wu’s e-commerce drive. “We have appointed a whole new e-commerce team across the group. We now have one person in the US, five in China and two in the UK,” he said.
Website without flights Wendy Wu Tours will launch a ground-only online bookable
Trading up
Wendy Wu Tours expects to end 2014 with passenger numbers up 5% on last year, which was itself up 22% on 2012. Hicks said revenue was also
up year-on-year, adding: “Our revenue is more than double our passenger growth and that equals increased profitability.
“We’re getting a much higher per passenger revenue than before – and that’s even with lots of other companies entering the market. We just add in more extras to show people the value of what they’re getting if they book Wendy Wu Tours.”
website in response to demand from agents wishing to package up the operator’s tours with their own flights.
Hicks said: “We’ve got agents asking us if they can white-label our product. They want to bolt on their own flights and maybe three days in Beijing, and basically build their own tours.” He said all the product on the land-only website would be private tours with guides. The website will go live in January and will be priced in euros and dollars. “Agents want to diversify
and offer things no one else is offering,” Hicks added. “Many are really switched on
and preparing for the Chinese boom. We are talking to several who want to white-label the site. “They want to get their nose
in front so they can capitalise on the expected demand, but they want to do it with an established company that’s already there.”
SPECIAL REPORT
Wendy Wu shoots ahead in 10th year
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