Wow! Who would have thought that it has been five years since Wendy Wu Tours entered the Irish market, with John Booty at the helm? On the back of its most successful year of sales in Ireland, Wendy Wu has launched a new collection of escorted tours to China, Japan, Central and Southeast Asia, India and Sri Lanka – as well as venturing further afield into Latin America.
Highlights of the new collection include three new escorted tours in the Mekong Delta on the new, deluxe river cruise ship, Victoria Mekong. Sailing from Can Tho, one of the quietest and most captivating ports on the Mekong, guests can take their pick between the 14-day ‘A Mekong Experience’ from €4,090pp; the 17-day ‘Classic Mekong’ from €4,690pp, and the 22-day ‘Mekong Explorer’ from €5,490pp, flying from Dublin, Cork or Shannon.
In addition to group tours in Vietnam and Cambodia, Wendy Wu offers exclusive private tours – and has just launched four-day and five-day cruise-only options of a Victoria Mekong river cruise either from Vietnam to Cambodia or vice versa, from the slow-running stream south of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where the delta meets the incoming waters of the South China Sea, up to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh.
Victoria Mekong
The Victoria Mekong offers 4-star comfort and superior service and employs cutting-edge technology – by the time her recycled water is returned to the Mekong River it is already drinkable. Solar energy is harnessed to help power the ship’s systems, while a high-tech, super-quiet power plant gives her a cruising speed of six knots and a top speed of 11 knots.
The ship’s shallow draught allows her to cruise parts of the Mekong Delta that other vessels cannot reach – and with just 35 passenger cabins, including two two-room suites, passengers are guaranteed a genuine ‘small ship’ experience. All cabins have a private balcony and individually controlled air conditioning.
Onboard there is an infinity pool, jacuzzis, a spa, gym, movie room, games room, a boutique, and mini golf. The Horizon Lounge Bar and Infinity Pool Bar offer a ‘free-flow’ of local beers and soft drinks to passengers, while hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages are also complimentary, as is house wine at dinner. Shore excursions put you right into the heart of local life and there are plenty of opportunities to interact with local people and appreciate the fascinating culture that surrounds you.
Solo Travellers and ‘Go Beyond’ Adventure Tours
John Booty told ITTN: “2019 has been an outstanding year for us, with revenue up a third on 2018. Overall the escorted touring market is extremely buoyant in Ireland, now representing close to a quarter of all holiday sales, which is testament to the appeal of this burgeoning travel sector.
“With a greater selection of touring styles available, including our dedicated range of tours for solo travellers plus ‘Go Beyond’, our range of more adventurous tours, we are now able to cater to more customers than ever before.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to say ‘Thank You’ to the Irish trade for all your support to us in the past years and for voting our 2019 fam trip to Japan ‘Best Familiarisation Trip’ at the ITTN Awards. This really means a lot to Wendy Wu Tours and to myself.
“Here’s to another great five years in the Irish market!”
