Key industry partners have joined Wendy Wu Tours’ founder, Wendy Wu, to celebrate the renowned tour operator’s 25th birthday.
In 1998, Wendy Wu established her own company in Sydney’s CBD, after leading tour groups to China for four years. Vietnam soon became another destination, and in 2004, the company’s touring options expanded further with the incorporation of India. A London office opened in 2005, a New York office in 2010 and then a New Zealand office.
Wendy Wu Tours has weathered the pandemic – which hit China harder than many other destinations – and is looking forward to healthy growth and new horizons. Apart from China, Japan is doing so well for the company that bookings for tours there have exceeded 2019 levels. Other Wendy Wu Tours’ destinations – Georgia, Armenia and Portugal among them – are booming, and Australians are keener to visit them than ever.
Wendy Wu’s 25th Anniversary lunch.
Wendy Wu Tours had risen “like a phoenix” from the ashes of the Covid pandemic, Wu enthused on Thursday at Sydney’s waterside Aria Restaurant by the Sydney Opera House.
Wu went on to thank industry partners for their help and support. These included airlines, national tourist offices and perhaps most crucial – the frontline travel agents who sell the company’s product.
The stylish celebration of Wendy Wu Tours’ 25th anniversary coincides perfectly with another milestone: Wendy Wu Tours’ reinstatement of China visa processing on behalf of its clients – effective immediately.
It’s the first time this privilege has been granted to a touring company in Australia since 2018. Wendy Wu Tours clients no longer need to complete the cumbersome 12-page China visa application process themselves.
Wu said the landmark arrangement represented a positive turning point for the industry and China’s ongoing tourism recovery.
“This is a major milestone from a tourism perspective,” she said.
“Wendy Wu Tours is the first touring company to be granted the statute to apply on behalf of customers, meaning travellers no longer must make an appointment, travel in person and queue to lodge it. In my view, it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated updates to be made since China first removed travel restrictions and reopened its borders on 15 March 2023. A big, positive step to revive tourism from Australia to China.”
As the number one specialist travel company to China from Australia, New Zealand and the UK, Wendy Wu Tours has been closely involved with China’s reopening since the beginning.
After talking with the Chinese government and reiterating the scale of the company’s commitment to the destination, Wu said she and her team were excited about the opportunity to take action and finally resume processing travel visas on behalf of Australian travellers.
China is forced to recalibrate its tourism industry like the rest of the world after years of border closures and Covid-19 restrictions.
Wendy Wu Tours expressed gratitude for the support of China Culture and Tourism Office Sydney reinstating the visa service.
While Wu is based in London these days, she is in constant touch with Australia. Her company’s star continues to rise.
CATO managing director Brett Jardine (shown with Wu above) recently remarked that despite the many challenges of recent years, “Wendy Wu’s unwavering optimism and her tireless commitment to the industry’s future” had won through.
“While candid in her assessment of the challenges faced in recent years, Wendy is truly an inspiration—always upbeat in her assessment of the future, which is a testament to her enduring impact on the travel industry,” Jardine said.
Written by: Peter Needham
