Page 5

—–Original Message—–
From: Chris Wxxxxx [mailto:cxxxxxxx@shaw.ca]
Sent: December 12, 2007 5:49 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Customer Survey

Hi Julius and Heidi,

We have completed the online survey but also wanted to send a quick e-mail to thank you both for such a wonderful trip and experience. While we travel a lot we have never participated in a group tour and can honestly say that the Laurus experience was fantastic. I do think that the smaller groups and the personal attention go a long way to enhancing the enjoyment.

I can not say enough about the added value provided by our guide Steven Shi. We could not have asked for a better guide and he looked after us from the time he met us at the airport in Beijing until he saw us off at Shanghai. Steven was at all times engaging, knowledgeable, humorous and attentive. He went out of his way for all of our group to make this trip a memorable experience. I would highly recommend Laurus to anyone considering a trip to China.

Thanks again Julius, Heidi, Steven and James.

Chris & Madeleine W.
Maple Ridge, British Columbia


—–Original Message—–
From: dbxxxxxxx@shaw.ca
Sent: November 22, 2007 7:30 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China in Depth Oct 2, 2007

John was an exceptional tour leader. He was knowledgeable about every aspect of the tour, he went above and beyond our expectations. I would not hesitate to recommend John to anyone considering a trip to China. He is an incredible tour leader. Because of John our tour was absolutely perfect (except for the “drizzle” from the typhoon in Wuzhen – even that was an incredible experience). He is to be highly commended for the outstanding job he did.

Laurus Travel is to be commended for the incredible journey that we had. I can’t begin to imagine all the behind the scenes work that had to take place to give us a once in a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten. I wish I could do it all over again !!

Barbara S.
Fanny Bay, British Columbia


—–Original Message—–
From: xxxxx@aol.com
Sent: November 18, 2007 7:40 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Feedback

Wow, what a fabulous trip. My compliments to Laurus on a phenomenal job. On a scale of 10 this trip was a 12. I had very high expectations for this trip and they were surpassed. Everything was first class – the hotels, the restaurants, the bus transportation, the air flights and the guides. We really appreciate that you rented the larger busses so that we had plenty of room. That was appreciated by everyone.

Victor did a superb job of making sure that everything came together so that we all had a memorable trip and a great time. He was on top of everything and we didn’t have to worry about a thing including the pick-up and delivery of our luggage to our room in each of the cities – what a relief.

The itinerary was excellent and the trip was incredibly easy. Everything worked so well. I know what kind of preparation has to happen to make that occur. Laurus has done a phenomenal job of demonstrating excellent service, first rate quality of all accommodations and tremendous value for the money. These truly differentiate you from the competition. We travel a lot, two to three months a year for many years, and we have never been as impressed with a group as we have with Laurus.

We also appreciated the small group size. For two weeks we were with 16 people and 5 people joined us for the last week. We were very fortunate on this trip that from the first day everyone on the tour group really clicked. We thoroughly enjoyed one another and we all had so much fun on this trip. We were laughing all the time. As a matter of fact, many of us have been e-mailing and we are missing not being on the trip. Many of us would have liked to just keep on going.

Many of us so enjoyed this trip that we would like, as a group, to get together and do another Laurus trip. I would therefore appreciate it if you would send me information on the other tours that you provide. My husband and I are very anxious to travel with you again soon. Our congratulations to Julius and the other Laurus personnel who have created a vision of travel that excels in today’s crazy travel environment. We were treated like royalty and we had the best time on this trip. We made a lot of memories on this trip that will be with us for a very long time. Our thanks to all at Laurus who made that happen. We look forward to the next trip.

Linda & Bob L.
Manhattan Beach, California


—–Original Message—–
From: rayxxxxxxxx@sympatico.ca
Sent: November 5, 2007 4:55 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Feedback

Amanda was fantastic!! She made the entire trip very enjoyable and worry-free. She read the group dynamics extremely well and she has an excellent sense of humour. She took care of every last detail and was always responsive to suggestions and comments. Your company should be proud to have her working with you as she serves the customer above and beyond!!! Excellent job Amanda!!!!!

We will keep wonderful memories from this trip, the experiences of excellent tours that continued to “wow us” with each site we visited and a great group of people that we now consider good friends. We have already recommended Laurus Travel and this tour to many of our family and friends. Overall this is an excellent tour and one we will never forget!!!

Ray C. & Madeleine M.
Ottawa, Ontario


Steven Shi was the best tour guide we have ever worked with. His strengths were: very smart and informative about China, fabulous attention to detail, cared for every person’s wishes, sought out special experiences tailored to our group, conveyed that he wanted us to know and understand China beyond the typical tourist. These are just SOME of his strengths. Our group simply LOVED him and felt that our trip was extra special because of Steven’s warmth and skills. He has no equals!

…Great service, great price for what we got, a guide who had no competition. When we talked with other tour groups we concluded that Laurus deserves our praise and loyalty. I will certainly be sending friends and colleagues your way!

Thanks, Julius!

Prof. Kate Slevin
Williamsburg, Virginia


—–Original Message—–
From: patricia.e@xxxxxx.com
Sent: October 23, 2007 11:33 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Feedback

TOUR LEADER
Stephen is an asset as a Tour Leader. He may not be a ‘joker’ or a ‘show man’ like other leaders, but he is kind, attentive, efficient and very very patient. He made the tour the success it was. I also appreciate the fact that Stephen is a bit of an intellectual with a love of history. I could have listened to his commentary and his insights on China forever. Stephen really works hard to accommodate all his guests and he is extremely responsible and respectful. I am very thankful that I had Stephen as my leader.

LOCAL GUIDES & DRIVERS
Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the local guides. They all spoke English extremely well and provided interesting commentary. As for the drivers – sitting in the front of the bus – I was very impressed by their skill in maneuvering those big buses.

HOTELS
Actually all hotels exceeded my expectations. I have travelled in Asia before (i.e. India, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc…) and I did not expect the 5* hotels to meet North American standards. I was pleasantly surprised. The hotels chosen were all of the highest standards.

FOOD
The food was very good. We ate too much.

IMPROVEMENT TO ITINERARY
Yangtze cruise could be one day shorter (although going up river that may not be possible). Also perhaps more time in the country between big cities to clean out the lungs.

MORE COMMENTS
I am an experienced independent traveller used to doing things on my own. I chose the highlights tour in order to get a taste of China because I knew I could never see so much in 18 days by myself. I was right. This tour met or exceeded my expectations. Everything went smoothly and the organization was impeccable. Although I don’t usually like to be led about in a group – I must say that it was nice to be taken care of and to travel in style.

Patricia E.
Montreal, Quebec


—–Original Message—–
From: skip [mailto:skip.axxxxxxxxx@shaw.ca]
Sent: October 19, 2007 10:58 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: 12 Day Best of China

Overall, this was an outstanding trip and we would not hesitate to strongly recommend Laurus Travel to anyone considering a trip offered by your company. Thanks for a job well done Julius and we look forward to our next trip with Laurus Travel.

Best regards,

Skip A.
Calgary, Alberta


—–Original Message—–
From: Bernice Axxxxxx [mailto:beaxxxxxx@yahoo.com]
Sent: October 21, 2007 1:04 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Great Trip

Hi Julius-

We just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our recent trip. Any changes that we would recommend would be very minor. The 26 days flew by as we encountered many fascinating sites and experiences. As you promised, the hotels were very comfortable, and more than met our expectations. We feel that our tour leader, Howard Zhang, was significantly responsible for our wonderful vacation. He always seemed genuinely concerned about our comfort and safety. Additionally, he helped us to better understand the culture and was always available to answer questions or help with any issues. You are indeed fortunate to have such a hard-working, loyal, and talented tour guide in your employ. We also feel fortunate to have travelled with him.

We would not hesitate to recommend Laurus Travel to anyone planning a trip to China.

Bruce and Bernice A.
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania


From: jloxxxx@xxxxxxx.net
Sent: October 5, 2007 1:23 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Feedback

Victor Li is an exceptional guide. His charming personality made everyone feel very comfortable as he led us on a fascinating trip that was punctuated by his extensive knowledge and quick wit. He has an incredible ability to anticipate people’s needs and wants. His smile never faltered even when he was faced with some inconvenient and inconsiderate requests from members of the group, which he quickly fulfilled while seamlessly continuing with the well-planned itinerary. His winning and adaptable style made a good trip an outstanding one and because of him I will highly recommend your company to my family and friends. Victor is an asset to Laurus Travel.

Janice O.
Rockville, Maryland


Sent: August 21, 2007 7:08 PM
To: Laurus Travel

We have never been “tour” people, but Laurus Travel has converted us. The tour was thorough, well organized and ensured we saw all the important sights without feeling rushed. We particularly like having a small group to travel with. We also like the idea of giving our tour leader a suggested amount for the tips up front for the local guides and drivers – makes it much easier during the tour – we don’t have to constantly think about that aspect of travel. Please feel free to use us as a reference – our entire family enjoyed the trip and highly recommend Laurus Travel.

Thank you.

Leena J. & John V.
Ottawa, Ontario


From: Carla J [mailto: cjxxxxxxxx@wi.rr.com]
Sent: August 16, 2007 11:00 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Customer Survey

I have been on many guided tours, and Amanda was without a doubt the best tour guide I have ever experienced. She is extremely competent and has excellent people skills. She is very fun, knowledgeable, and really went out of her way to be helpful to us… I can’t praise her enough.

I have been raving about my tour to everyone who will listen. I hope to travel with Laurus again. I literally found you by googling, and it was my best Google search ever. I have already recommended you to others and will continue to do so.

Carla J.
Kenosha, Wisconsin


—–Original Message—–
From: l. gerald [mailto:jlxxxxx@yahoo.com]
Sent: July 30, 2007 7:31 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: July ’07 China Trip

I’m just returned from my Imperial China tour, which included 3 days in Tibet, and to say the least, it was an incredible experience!

First, all of the tour guides, especially Amanda, were terrific! All were always ready to accommodate any request asked of them. They were extremely knowledgeable, charming, and well prepared.

Next, the accommodations were solidly first rate, especially the Sheraton in Shanghai, which was exceptional. All of the hotels, even in the far away locations in Tibet were clean, and the hotel staff provided spectacular service (again with the Sheraton in Shanghai being exceptional.)

The food provided on the tour was always excellent, well prepared, and plentiful! I was especially pleased with the optional offerings provided throughout the course of the tour. We saw the Chinese Opera, an acrobat show, and a wonderful dinner theater. I would rate the value received for the cost of this tour as exceptional. I have been on ten escorted tours around the world and I would rate this tour as the best! Everyone concerned upheld the highest standards of excellence throughout my Laurus tour experience!

Jerry L.
Wallingford, Connecticut


—–Original Message—–
From: Bev & Einar Cxxxxxx [mailto:cxxxxxxx@telus.net]
Sent: June 30, 2007 10:56 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China in Depth

Dear Alan and Julius,

We would like you to know how much we enjoyed the 22-day China in Depth tour. Our experiences exceeded our expectations in almost every respect, whether it was transportation, accommodation, food, or venues visited.

We appreciated the conscientious and knowledgeable service provided by your local tour guides, all of whom were excellent. Although everyone deserves our commendation, we were particularly impressed by Sherman for his professionalism and his very good command of the English language; Howard for his local and historical knowledge and his enthusiastic manner; but particularly we express our thanks to Linda, our Suzhou guide who gave us outstanding service as noted in the following anecdote.

On Day 9, upon reaching the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to fly to Yichang, we realized that a recently purchased silk tapestry had been left behind in the Suzhou Sheraton Hotel lobby 80 km away. Linda contacted the hotel by cell phone, but no one had seen the tapestry. We assumed that it was lost. Linda, however, said she would go to the hotel on her return to Suzhou, and if lucky enough to find it, she would forward it to us.

Imagine our surprise on Day 19 when we arrived at The Great Wall Sheraton in Beijing to find a very carefully wrapped parcel containing our “lost” tapestry. Truly this was an example of outstanding service by Linda.

Many thanks to all of you at Laurus for providing us with a wonderful tour.

Sincerely,

Bev and Einar C.
North Vancouver, British Columbia


—–Original Message—–
From: Doug & Eileen [mailto:demxxxxxx@cogeco.ca]
Sent: May 31, 2007 6:30 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China in Depth, May 3

Dear Julius,

We are just back from our 3-week, “China in Depth” trip May 3-24. We found it a very well-planned, well-paced, and well-priced trip. The last-minute upgrades you added were a real bonus! Our tour leader, John, was wonderful. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but he is conscientious, kind, thoughtful, and always helpful. He is a real gem in the tourist business. Our trip encompassed not only the history of China–a rich history stretching back over 5000 years, but a clear overview of the present China and a glimpse of the future. We were in awe of the pace of development in today’s China.

It became clear, that your goal was to make our trip memorable, and to make us, as clients, feel very special and pampered. The “extras” that you included were unexpected and we appreciated each and every one!

Thank you–all of you–for a fabulous holiday and great memories of China.

Doug & Eileen M.
Peterborough, Ontario


Sent: April 24, 2007 4:40 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Feedback

Hi Alan and Julius,

Just want to say thank you for the marvellous 20 day tour of China your company provided my mother and I in March. It exceeded all our expectations in every area! We have travelled extensively, with many different tour companies in the world, and would put your company right at the top! Our tour guide, Amanda, was also superb. She was professional, knowledgeable, helpful and fun to be with. I will always recommend you first for travel in China. Many, many thanks for making my mother’s 70th birthday in China so special. May your business continue to prosper as it so deserves.

Ezria J.
Victoria, British Columbia


Sent: March 30, 2007 3:12 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Re: China Tour Feedback

Hi everybody at Laurus. We just got back from our trip to China and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for a wonderful time. Our guides (Grace, Sherman, John, Amanda) definitely were the reason our trip was so successful. they are a wonderful bunch of people who are hard working and a pleasure to be with. We will never forget them. The drivers were amazing. I have such respect for those guys. Always polite and prompt. We felt like VIP’s!! China is a wonderful country and we couldn’t believe how comfortable and at home we felt. It was hard to leave. But we are already thinking of going back and exploring the southern area.

Again, thank you.

Dennis & Dayle P.
Penticton, B.C.
p.s. we are telling everyone to book with Laurus travel.


—–Original Message—–
From: Richard Sxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxx@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 11:11 PM
To: xxleavenworth@xxx.com

Subject: Laurus Tours

Greetings,

We took the 18 day China Odyssey Tour in October [2006] and it couldn’t have been better. My wife and I have traveled a lot but never in a group. From the moment we arrived in Shanghai until we left Beijing we were treated royally. Our tour guide was exceptional and the local guides equally so. Accommodations were excellent and all the tour busses clean and roomy with good local drivers. The pace was about right and with few exceptions due to flight delays, we saw everything promised in the tour brochure and more.

I can’t think of a thing to be negative about this tour and the company. They are the best and I don’t think you could go wrong with them.

Dick S.
La Canada, California


From: Monica B@xxxxxxxxxxxx.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 8:12 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Comments

John [tour leader] was very conscientious and gracious. He was patient with all of us and knowledgeable and was very happy and eager to share the Chinese experience with us. His logistical skills, as far as keeping us together, facilitating our plane trips, hotel check ins, working with the local guides were superb!

It was fun to get to know John and to see him relax and become more comfortable and personal with us as the days of the tour progressed. He is top notch and must be one of your best guides! John really made the whole experience exceptional!

I really enjoyed the cruise down the Yangtze River, and especially enjoyed the day cruise down the Li River. The karst were magnificant and like nothing I’d ever seen before. I think those will be the photographs that I will treasure the most from this trip!

Thank you!

Monica B.,
Denver, Colorado


I would like to say that our trip [China Panorama, Sept 13/06] was fantastic! It exceeded our expectations. The local guides were very knowledgeable and they went out of their way to make sure our questions were answered. At times the English was a little rough but we managed to communicate. I would say that all the guides with the exception of Helen (I think that was her name) in Chengdu were excellent. In Helen’s case I felt she just wanted to get our tour over as soon as possible. Our marathon race to view the Pandas then the rush to the museum left us feeling that we didn’t really get enough time. Perhaps the long day and high altitude from the day before added to our unpleasant experience with Helen. We were very happy with our sightseeing stops and the time allotted at each one. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable car ride was breath-taking, as was the Stone Forest. The Yangtze River cruise was the highlight, beautiful scenery and wonderful crew. One recommendation I would make with this tour is to switch days for the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain sightseeing. With experiencing the lack of oxygen and a late night flight everyone was pretty exhausted. I would definitely recommend this tour to everyone. It was well organized and we felt that it showed us how diverse the people and the country is! Please feel free to use us as a reference.

When I was looking for a China tour I’d talked to our local travel agent who was unable to get what we wanted. I started looking on the Internet and discovered Laurus Travel. I knew nothing about Laurus other than what was on their website and their record with better business bureau. So I very nervously decided to take a chance they were legit and booked our trip. When we got off the plane in Shanghai we were met by Edward who was picking up another group and he waited so we could get a ride to the hotel. I knew then I’d picked a good travel service. So if you have clients needing recommendations please feel free to contact me. I’m saving the best for last. Our guide John who spent the 24 days with us. This young man is an asset to Laurus Travel! John patiently guided us and provided us with an endless supply of information! Thank you for your helping hand on the numerous steps and making our trip a wonderful experience! We enjoyed getting to know you and your country.

Margaret & Harvey B.
Smithers, British Columbia


Excellent tour [China Odyssey, Oct 9/06]. We came away from it thinking very highly of Laurus. I don’t know how this group got put together but the chemistry was great and added immeasurably to the pleasure of the tour. We would like to visit China again.

Duff & Shirley S.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan


Hi Julius!

Ross & I returned from our trip to Beijing etc. a few days ago. I want to tell you what excellent staff you have in China!!

When we got off the plane, Lucy was right there with the banner saying “Laurus Travel”. She was just excellent the whole time we were there. She took great care of everyone and it was clear that everyone thought she did a super job!

The local guide for Beijing was Leon. He was just wonderful!! You may have already heard that one of the ladies on the tour took ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. It was in the evening but Leon came back to the hospital to translate for her sister and for her. That is just top notch service! We can’t say enough about what a good guide Leon was!

If you have anyone who needs a reference for your company, please feel free to use our names. You can be sure that we will be recommending your company to our friends.

Beth & Ross H.
Whistler, British Columbia


Everything about this trip [China Highlights with Hong Kong, Oct 6-23, 2006] was outstanding especially the tour leader Harry. He was the most accommodating person I have ever met. The hotels were by far the best hotels of any tour I have been on. I have told everyone about your service and they can hardly believe the things I have told them as they have never experienced such service. I want to thank you for the most enjoyable experience I have ever had.

Beverly W.
Desert Hot Springs, California


My husband and I are seasoned travellers and we have had the opportunity to visit many wonderful places all over the world. We were new to the group tour idea, and we had a few reservations going into it. Quite honestly, we had a wonderful time and met some great folks on our trip. Because the country was so large, the impeccable planning allowed us to see most the sights we wanted to visit. The itinerary was one that kept us very busy, which we liked, so there was not a lot of wasted time, waiting for the group to catch up. We were lucky enough to have Alan Yuan with us on our trip, and his attention to customer service was excellent. I would highly recommend this trip to China without hesitation and would be pleased to provide additional information to someone who is considering the trip. Job well done.

Linda and Dave H.
Toronto, Ontario


Last summer [2006], I took a group of 18 students to China from the University of North Dakota. I asked Laurus Travel to make many of the arrangements for us and I was extremely happy with how smoothly everything went. Julius and the others at Laurus worked with us to get everything we asked for and we had no problems at all on our trip. The students loved our guides and thanks to Laurus Travel, our trip was a huge success. I can’t recommend this company highly enough!

Dr. Colleen Berry
Assistant Professor,
University of North Dakota


Comment on Leader:
An outstanding leader; we would go on any other trip with him. Laurus would do well to use him to his fullest extent. His personal interest in the clients was impressive, and he made us feel safe, independent, and knowledgeable. He listened to our interests and needs. We can’t say enough good things about John Ma. He took initiatives to make our trip better such as calling you about our extra time between flights in Chengdu. We could not have asked for a better trip and travel company to deal with. We are most satisfied; thank you for all you planning, support, and pleasant dealings.

Fred and Nancy B.
Los Gatos, California


Stew and I really appreciated the value we received for our time and money on your tour. It was a wonderful experience. I recommend your tour without reservation to anyone who expresses an interest in travelling to China. Please feel free to give our names as references.

Marg and Stew B.
Georgetown, Ontario


Laurus gets our highest recommendation. Dollar for dollar, personal care, the best of people taking care of us every minute of every day. From the office, owner, staff; you made this trip a memory of a life time. The sensory overload was incredible at times but we would do this trip again anytime….after recovering from the jet lag anyway. Bravo to Laurus. And Julius…You showing up at the dinner was an extra treat. The personal touches never ended.

Arthur L. and Janet C.
Vernon, British Columbia


From: Monica B@xxxxxxxxxxxx.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 8:12 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Comments

John [tour leader] was very conscientious and gracious. He was patient with all of us and knowledgeable and was very happy and eager to share the Chinese experience with us. His logistical skills, as far as keeping us together, facilitating our plane trips, hotel check ins, working with the local guides were superb!

It was fun to get to know John and to see him relax and become more comfortable and personal with us as the days of the tour progressed. He is top notch and must be one of your best guides! John really made the whole experience exceptional!

I really enjoyed the cruise down the Yangtze River, and especially enjoyed the day cruise down the Li River. The karst were magnificant and like nothing I’d ever seen before. I think those will be the photographs that I will treasure the most from this trip!

Thank you!

Monica B.,
Denver, Colorado


—–Original Message—–
From: R24spring@——-com
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 11:15 AM
To: Laurus Travel Inc.

Subject: Re: China Tour Feedback
Heidi, the Laurus guided trip to China was an incredible experience and certainly the trip of my lifetime so far! To visit a country as extensive and complex and culturally rich and diverse as China is might have felt overwhelming or to the contrary not “in-depth” enough. I must congratulate Laurus on the way the trip was organized, from arrival in Shanghai to a quieter time on the Yangtze River cruise, then back to changing hotels and boarding planes every 2 or 3 days. I feel that I got a very comprehensive exposure to China and its people which amazingly little wear and tear, thanks to the skillful way the trip was laid out.

I especially appreciated the dependability of the national and local guides and drivers to show up on time to meet us at the airport. They were all highly professional and indeed experts on their particular city/area/attractions. David Li in Guilin stands out in particular for his engaging personality, enthusiasm in sharing ethnic culture, in-depth historical and cultural knowledge, and high level of English fluency. Thanks to David, we attended two spectacular shows that greatly enriched our experience and understanding of China: “Impressions of Guilin” in Yangshuo (which he personally escorted us to) and the “Peacock Lady” and ethnic dancing and drumming show in Kunming (which David told us not to miss).

The Yangtze River cruise and the day boat trip on the Lijang River were the trip highlights for me. Our river guide on the Victoria Star was really excellent. One suggestion I made to the crew manager on that ship was to have more information available (perhaps in their library) about the local flora and fauna. There were many flowering plants and trees along the river that no one was able to identify for me. I think ecotourism, and I mean of the upscale kind, will be an up and coming thing in China. At least as a Californian, I believe that many people in the US will be attracted to China to experience the incredible biological diversity there. Along those lines, I would like to suggest that in future tours you include the newly opened (August 2005) Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. I happened upon it only by chance. It is truly spectacular and, after having just cruised the Yangtze, I found that it added greatly to my understanding of that unique area.

Also, I would like to congratulate you on your choice of hotels which in general were first class. The New Otani in Beijing was certainly the most elegant and luxurious. I visited their immaculate spa and olympic pool daily. Also the location of the hotel was quite strategic, near the center but conveying a sense of space, peace and quiet.

I came away from the tour more than satisfied and am recommending to all my friends that if they are considering visiting China (I tell them they should and soon!), they must check out Laurus Travel’s guided tour options. As for me, I am definitely planning to China in the next five years!

Many thanks,

Robin Spring
Watsonville, CA 95076


—–Original Message—–
From:
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 5:15 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Tour Customer Survey

Harry was exceptional! He made the difference from our trip being excellent to it being outstanding! The fact that Harry had lived through and could tell us stories about the Cultural Revolution and the student protests in Tiananmen Square made this trip much beyond our expectations! The sights, activities and hotels were first rate. Harry was the cream on the crop!

We were very very pleased with our trip and would highly recommend Laurus Travel to anyone considering a trip to China. In fact, I have already written an entry on the frommers.com message board about our trip with your company as it was on the Frommers site that I found out about Laurus Travel. Your company put together an exceptional small group tour and we were thrilled to have had the opportunity to experience China with such a wonderful group of 8 people. Thank you Julius! It was also a pleasure to meet you in Beijing!

Cheri P.
Woodstock, Ontario


I was absolutely delighted with this trip. We have traveled extensively in North America and Europe, but never in Asia until now. I’m a history teacher and I taught world history for years, and to be able to see so much of China and its history in just a few days was remarkable. Many, many thanks for organizing an outstanding trip – and that’s especially true because it was so reasonably priced!

Charles C.
New York, New York


—–Original Message—–
From: Denise C. [e-mail deleted]
Sent: June 9, 2005 8:07 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Letter of Recommendation

Good Morning Julius,

I just want to let you know we truly enjoyed our trip to China on the 24-days China Special [May 9-June 1]. Attached is a recommendation letter for you to post on your website, if you wish. Peter and I felt this venture was worth every penny. I will recommend Laurus Travel to all my friends who wish to travel to China.

Thank you Laurus Travel,

Denise C.
Coquitlam, British Columbia


We just completed our 18 day tour [China Odyssey, May 18, 2005] with tour leader David Cheng. Everyone on our trip had a great time, and David made everything interesting and humorous for us… He Deserves a big raise! Attached is a picture of our group.

Thanks,

Paul M.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


Hi Julius,

Just want to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip with you to China. It was absolutely amazing. To see so much in 17 days [China Odyssey, April 13-30/05] without feeling ‘hurried’ was incredible. The local guides were very personable and informative and we got a good overall picture of this diverse country, and your extra ‘anecdotes’ just added to the overall understanding we now have of China. We would also like to thank you for providing such excellent hotels and restaurants, for changing the itinerary so we could see the sunrise over the Great Wall and for that wonderful trip down the Yangtze River on the Katarina, all done at such a reasonable cost. But most of all we would like to thank you for being our tour guide, for your patience, your good humour and your illuminating insights into the way China is today. This is a trip that will linger long in our memories.

Thank you,

David and Marjorie D.
Kingston, Nova Scotia
ps. We are already starting to save for another Laurus trip in the near future!


[more]