Wendy Wu: 'Japan is our secret weapon'

^{Forthcoming movie The Great Wall could boost trade for Wendy Wu}

A new back-office system is also being rolled out globally, which will link Wendy Wu Tours’ booking system to that of its own China-based destination management company, which will allow for much quicker quoting on tailor-made products.

“At the moment, you put in a request and it comes back 24 hours later, so we’re looking at ways of automating the process so your request goes straight to our DMC in China to get a price within a few hours,” Hicks revealed.

Despite the currency issues that other operators may be experiencing, Hicks said successful hedging meant Wendy Wu Tours had not needed to raise prices for 2017 departures.

“We’ve always hedged, and for intelligent businesses working with currencies, it is hard to believe they won’t have hedged for 2017,” he said.

“But where we will see prices rise across the touring sector is in 2018, when those operators are out of their mid-term hedging,” he pointed out. “We’ll be okay in the early part of 2018 but we might have rises towards the end of that year.”

The fact that Wendy Wu Tours contracts in local currencies in Asia was an additional factor, he added.

“Some operators are contracting in Vietnam and south-east Asia in US dollars; we won’t entertain that.”

Hicks urged agents to focus on the all-inclusive nature of a touring holiday when selling the product in 2017. “Tipping, meals, entrance fees, it’s all included on an escorted tour. Customers don’t have to put their hand in their pocket, and it makes it a good product for agents to sell,” he noted.

The operator hopes that a forthcoming movie called The Great Wall, which stars Matt Damon, will create new interest in China’s famous landmark.

Recent consumer research conducted by Wendy Wu Tours revealed that 90% of Brits had not yet visited the Great Wall of China, but that visiting a Modern Wonder of the World or World Heritage Site was an ambition for 60% of those surveyed.

The operator’s popular promotion of free business class upgrades with Air China finished at the end of January, and has been replaced by a Cathay Pacific promotion offering upgrades to business class for £199 one way and three-day Hong Kong stopovers for £199.