ExploreChina Holidays vs Wendy Wu Tours: An Honest Comparison

Planning • 8 min read

A Fair Comparison — No Spin

If you're researching China tours from Australia, you've probably come across both ExploreChina Holidays and Wendy Wu Tours. Both are established operators with strong reputations. Rather than pretending we're the only option, here's an honest comparison to help you decide which is right for you.

Note: This comparison is based on publicly available information from both operators' websites. We've tried to be fair and factual throughout.

Company Background

ExploreChina Holidays: Sydney-based China specialist backed by CTS (China Travel Group) — China's oldest and largest travel group. Management expertise dating back to 1985. Over 50,000 travellers served. Specialises exclusively in China tours.

Wendy Wu Tours: UK-founded, now Australian-operated, covering multiple Asian destinations including China, Japan, Vietnam, India, and more. Well-known brand in the Australian market with extensive marketing presence. Offers a broader range of Asian destinations.

Pricing Structure

ExploreChina: China tours from $999pp including flights. All advertised prices include return international flights from Australian cities. No land-only pricing — what you see is what you pay.

Wendy Wu: Prices vary by tour and typically start higher. Check whether quotes are flights-included or land-only, as this varies by promotion. Wendy Wu frequently runs promotional pricing.

Key difference: Always compare like-for-like. Ensure both quotes include flights, the same hotel standard, and equivalent inclusions.

What's Included

ExploreChina — every tour includes: Return international flights, hotel accommodation (4-star+), dedicated English-speaking guide for the entire tour, all airport and in-country transfers, all entrance fees, and no forced shopping stops.

Wendy Wu — inclusions vary by tour tier. They offer multiple tiers (Classic, Discovery, Deluxe, etc.) with different inclusion levels. Check your specific tour for exact inclusions. Meals may be included on some tiers — always verify the specific inclusions for the tour you're comparing.

Tour Focus

ExploreChina: China-only specialist. All 11 tours focus exclusively on China (plus one China + Mongolia combination). This specialisation means deep relationships and expertise in a single destination.

Wendy Wu: Multi-destination operator covering China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, and more. This breadth means you can book multiple Asian trips through one operator but may mean less depth of China-specific specialisation.

What Each Does Best

ExploreChina's strengths: Competitive pricing with flights always included, CTS on-ground network across China, China-specialist focus with deep destination expertise, transparent all-inclusive pricing, and a strict no-shopping-stop policy.

Wendy Wu's strengths: Well-established Australian brand with broad recognition, multiple Asian destinations under one roof, more tour tier options at different price points, and extensive marketing and brand visibility.

Our Honest Advice

Compare specific tours side by side. Match the same destination, duration, and inclusions, then compare price. Ask both operators the same set of questions: Are flights included? What hotel star rating? Is the guide with you the whole time? Any shopping stops? What's the cancellation policy? The operator that gives you clearer, more transparent answers is probably the one to book with.

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