Wendy Wu Tours to offer South America and South Africa

Wendy Wu Tours is offering South America and South Africa for the first time as part of a three-year growth plan.

The operator said it had reacted to focus groups in which holidaymakers called for a worldwide range of destinations.

 

 

South Africa and South America were chosen after the China and southeast Asia specialist surveyed its database to find out which destinations were the most popular.

 

 

Managing director, Laurence Hicks, said: “New destinations have always been on the radar but the time wasn’t right. In 2015 we doubled our southeast Asia passenger carryings and we are looking to do even more in 2016, so we felt the time was now right.”

 

 

The operator, which aims to double Ebitda in the next three years, has put together two new tours, a Best of South America and a Grand Tour of South Africa, with two dates currently planned for each tour in autumn 2016 and spring 2017. The tours take 30 customers each.

 

 

The 16-day South America tour covers Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia and includes sights such as Machu Picchu and Iguacu Falls. It costs from £4,990.

 

 

The 17-day South Africa tour takes in Kruger National Park, Swaziland, the Garden Route, Cape Town and the winelands region and is priced from£3,590.

 

 

Hicks said more departure dates could be added if the tours prove popular.

 

 

“If they sell quickly, obviously we will expand the number of departures. I strongly suspect that we will have to add more,” he said.

 

 

Hicks admitted the tours could also form part of a new worldwide programme for the operator later in the year for 2017 departures.

 

 

“There’s a very strong chance you will see a small worldwide brochure which could also include other destinations that we offer such as Japan,” he said.

 

 

The operator, which is in its 11th year of trading, is sending out an eight page mini brochure today to its client database, encouraging them to book with their local travel agent.