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Testimonials
-----Original Message-----
From: Laura Wxxxx [mailto:lxxxxxx@rogers.com]
Sent: March 21, 2008 5:41 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: RE Our trip to China
Hi Julius!
Israel and I returned today from China and I couldn't get to my computer fast
enough to write to thank you !! What a wonderful country and fabulous, amazing
tour!!! Thank you for the arrangements you made on our behalf and for your
patience with our many nervous queries! Everything was absolutely excellent!!
The guides were top rate: knowledgeable, personable, and accommodating. The
hotels offered incomparable service with rooms, concierge, baggage handling and
in the restaurants. The food was interesting and delicious. We will certainly be
recommending your agency to others!.. And after this wonderful trip, hope to
contact you someday for our return visit!!! Thanks again so much for everything.
"Xie Xie" and Best Regards,
Laura Wxxxx
Toronto, Ontario
-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Sxxxxxxxxx
Sent: January 9, 2008 11:24 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Comments
To Laurus Travel,
We have just returned from our Best of China trip with
your company and I am just dropping you a quick note to say how much we enjoyed
our tour. Although our group was too small to qualify for a tour leader your
local guides were very competent and friendly. Their knowledge of their own
cities and the country in general was excellent and they tried very hard to be
accommodating and responsive. The hotels and food were excellent and the sites
were incredible. We have already recommended your company to others and we hope
that they are able to benefit from your company’s excellent service.
Sincerely,
Rob Sxxxxxxxxx and Susana Exxxxxx
Whitehorse, Yukon
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Wxxxxx [mailto:cxxxxxxx@shaw.ca]
Sent: December 12, 2007 5:49 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Customer Survey
Hi Julius and Heidi,
We have completed the online survey but also wanted to send a quick e-mail to
thank you both for such a wonderful trip and experience. While we travel a lot
we have never participated in a group tour and can honestly say that the Laurus
experience was fantastic. I do think that the smaller groups and the personal
attention go a long way to enhancing the enjoyment.
I can not say enough about the added value provided by our guide Steven Shi. We
could not have asked for a better guide and he looked after us from the time he
met us at the airport in Beijing until he saw us off at Shanghai. Steven was at
all times engaging, knowledgeable, humorous and attentive. He went out of his
way for all of our group to make this trip a memorable experience. I would
highly recommend Laurus to anyone considering a trip to China.
Thanks again Julius, Heidi, Steven and James.
Chris & Madeleine W.
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
-----Original Message-----
From: dbxxxxxxx@shaw.ca
Sent: November 22, 2007 7:30 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China in Depth Oct 2, 2007
John was an exceptional tour leader. He was
knowledgeable about every aspect of the tour, he went above and beyond our
expectations. I would not hesitate to recommend John to anyone considering a
trip to China. He is an incredible tour leader. Because of John our tour was
absolutely perfect (except for the "drizzle" from the typhoon in Wuzhen - even
that was an incredible experience). He is to be highly commended for the
outstanding job he did.
Laurus Travel is to be commended for the incredible journey that we had. I can't
begin to imagine all the behind the scenes work that had to take place to give
us a once in a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten. I wish I could
do it all over again !!
Barbara S.
Fanny Bay, British Columbia
-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@aol.com
Sent: November 18, 2007 7:40 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Feedback
Wow, what a fabulous trip. My compliments to Laurus on
a phenomenal job. On a scale of 10 this trip was a 12. I had very high
expectations for this trip and they were surpassed. Everything was first class -
the hotels, the restaurants, the bus transportation, the air flights and the
guides. We really appreciate that you rented the larger busses so that we had
plenty of room. That was appreciated by everyone.
Victor did a superb job of making sure that everything
came together so that we all had a memorable trip and a great time. He was on
top of everything and we didn't have to worry about a thing including the
pick-up and delivery of our luggage to our room in each of the cities - what a
relief.
The itinerary was excellent and the trip was incredibly
easy. Everything worked so well. I know what kind of preparation has to happen
to make that occur. Laurus has done a phenomenal job of demonstrating excellent
service, first rate quality of all accommodations and tremendous value for the
money. These truly differentiate you from the competition. We travel a lot, two
to three months a year for many years, and we have never been as impressed with
a group as we have with Laurus.
We also appreciated the small group size. For two weeks
we were with 16 people and 5 people joined us for the last week. We were very
fortunate on this trip that from the first day everyone on the tour group really
clicked. We thoroughly enjoyed one another and we all had so much fun on this
trip. We were laughing all the time. As a matter of fact, many of us have been
e-mailing and we are missing not being on the trip. Many of us would have liked
to just keep on going.
Many of us so enjoyed this trip that we would like, as
a group, to get together and do another Laurus trip. I would therefore
appreciate it if you would send me information on the other tours that you
provide. My husband and I are very anxious to travel with you again soon. Our
congratulations to Julius and the other Laurus personnel who have created a
vision of travel that excels in today's crazy travel environment. We were
treated like royalty and we had the best time on this trip. We made a lot of
memories on this trip that will be with us for a very long time. Our thanks to
all at Laurus who made that happen. We look forward to the next trip.
Linda & Bob L.
Manhattan Beach, California
-----Original Message-----
From: rayxxxxxxxx@sympatico.ca
Sent: November 5, 2007 4:55 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Feedback
Amanda was fantastic!! She made the entire trip very
enjoyable and worry-free. She read the group dynamics extremely well and she has
an excellent sense of humour. She took care of every last detail and was always
responsive to suggestions and comments. Your company should be proud to have her
working with you as she serves the customer above and beyond!!! Excellent job
Amanda!!!!!
We will keep wonderful memories from this trip, the experiences of excellent
tours that continued to "wow us" with each site we visited and a great group of
people that we now consider good friends. We have already recommended Laurus
Travel and this tour to many of our family and friends. Overall this is an
excellent tour and one we will never forget!!!
Ray C. & Madeleine M.
Ottawa, Ontario
Steven Shi was the best tour guide we have ever worked with. His strengths
were: very smart and informative about China, fabulous attention to detail,
cared for every person's wishes, sought out special experiences tailored to our
group, conveyed that he wanted us to know and understand China beyond the
typical tourist. These are just SOME of his strengths. Our group simply LOVED
him and felt that our trip was extra special because of Steven's warmth and
skills. He has no equals!
...Great service, great price for what we got, a guide who had no competition.
When we talked with other tour groups we concluded that Laurus deserves our
praise and loyalty. I will certainly be sending friends and colleagues your way!
Thanks, Julius!
Prof. Kate S.
Williamsburg, Virginia
-----Original Message-----
From: patricia.e@xxxxxx.com
Sent: October 23, 2007 11:33 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Feedback
TOUR LEADER
Stephen is an asset as a Tour Leader. He may not be a 'joker' or a 'show man'
like other leaders, but he is kind, attentive, efficient and very very patient.
He made the tour the success it was. I also appreciate the fact that Stephen is
a bit of an intellectual with a love of history. I could have listened to his
commentary and his insights on China forever. Stephen really works hard to
accommodate all his guests and he is extremely responsible and respectful. I am
very thankful that I had Stephen as my leader.
LOCAL GUIDES & DRIVERS
Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the local guides. They all
spoke English extremely well and provided interesting commentary. As for the
drivers - sitting in the front of the bus - I was very impressed by their skill
in maneuvering those big buses.
HOTELS
Actually all hotels exceeded my expectations. I have travelled in Asia before
(i.e. India, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc...) and I did not expect the 5* hotels to
meet North American standards. I was pleasantly surprised. The hotels chosen
were all of the highest standards.
FOOD
The food was very good. We ate too much.
IMPROVEMENT TO ITINERARY
Yangtze cruise could be one day shorter (although going up river that may
not be possible). Also perhaps more time in the country between big cities to
clean out the lungs.
MORE COMMENTS
I am an experienced independent traveller used to doing things on my own. I
chose the highlights tour in order to get a taste of China because I knew I
could never see so much in 18 days by myself. I was right. This tour met or
exceeded my expectations. Everything went smoothly and the organization was
impeccable. Although I don't usually like to be led about in a group - I must
say that it was nice to be taken care of and to travel in style.
Patricia E.
Montreal, Quebec
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-----Original Message-----
From: skip [mailto:skip.axxxxxxxxx@shaw.ca]
Sent: October 19, 2007 10:58 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: 12 Day Best of China
Overall, this was an outstanding trip and we would not hesitate to strongly
recommend Laurus Travel to anyone considering a trip offered by your company.
Thanks for a job well done Julius and we look forward to our next trip with
Laurus Travel.
Best regards,
Skip A.
Calgary, Alberta
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernice Axxxxxx [mailto:beaxxxxxx@yahoo.com]
Sent: October 21, 2007 1:04 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Great Trip
Hi Julius-
We just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our recent trip. Any
changes that we would recommend would be very minor. The 26 days flew by as we
encountered many fascinating sites and experiences. As you promised, the hotels
were very comfortable, and more than met our expectations. We feel that our tour
leader, Howard Zhang, was significantly responsible for our wonderful vacation.
He always seemed genuinely concerned about our comfort and safety. Additionally,
he helped us to better understand the culture and was always available to answer
questions or help with any issues. You are indeed fortunate to have such a
hard-working, loyal, and talented tour guide in your employ. We also feel
fortunate to have travelled with him.
We would not hesitate to recommend Laurus Travel to anyone planning a trip to
China.
Bruce and Bernice A.
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
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From: jloxxxx@xxxxxxx.net
Sent: October 5, 2007 1:23 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Feedback
Victor Li is an exceptional guide. His charming
personality made everyone feel very comfortable as he led us on a fascinating
trip that was punctuated by his extensive knowledge and quick wit. He has an
incredible ability to anticipate people's needs and wants. His smile never
faltered even when he was faced with some inconvenient and inconsiderate
requests from members of the group, which he quickly fulfilled while seamlessly
continuing with the well-planned itinerary. His winning and adaptable style made
a good trip an outstanding one and because of him I will highly recommend your
company to my family and friends. Victor is an asset to Laurus Travel.
Janice O.
Rockville, Maryland
Sent: August 21, 2007 7:08 PM
To: Laurus Travel
We have never been "tour" people, but Laurus Travel has
converted us. The tour was thorough, well organized and ensured we saw all the
important sights without feeling rushed. We particularly like having a small
group to travel with. We also like the idea of giving our tour leader a
suggested amount for the tips up front for the local guides and drivers - makes
it much easier during the tour - we don't have to constantly think about that
aspect of travel. Please feel free to use us as a reference - our entire family
enjoyed the trip and highly recommend Laurus Travel.
Thank you.
Leena J. & John V.
Ottawa, Ontario
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From: Carla J [mailto: cjxxxxxxxx@wi.rr.com]
Sent: August 16, 2007 11:00 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Customer Survey
I have been on many guided tours, and Amanda was
without a doubt the best tour guide I have ever experienced. She is extremely
competent and has excellent people skills. She is very fun, knowledgeable, and
really went out of her way to be helpful to us... I can't praise her enough.
I have been raving about my tour to everyone who will
listen. I hope to travel with Laurus again. I literally found you by googling,
and it was my best Google search ever. I have already recommended you to others
and will continue to do so.
Carla J.
Kenosha, Wisconsin
-----Original Message-----
From: l. gerald [mailto:jlxxxxx@yahoo.com]
Sent: July 30, 2007 7:31 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: July '07 China Trip
I'm just returned from my Imperial China tour, which
included 3 days in Tibet, and to say the least, it was an incredible experience!
First, all of the tour guides, especially Amanda, were terrific! All were always
ready to accommodate any request asked of them. They were extremely
knowledgeable, charming, and well prepared.
Next, the accommodations were solidly first rate, especially the Sheraton in
Shanghai, which was exceptional. All of the hotels, even in the far away
locations in Tibet were clean, and the hotel staff provided spectacular service
(again with the Sheraton in Shanghai being exceptional.)
The food provided on the tour was always excellent, well prepared, and
plentiful! I was especially pleased with the optional offerings provided
throughout the course of the tour. We saw the Chinese Opera, an acrobat show,
and a wonderful dinner theater. I would rate the value received for the cost of
this tour as exceptional. I have been on ten escorted tours around the world and
I would rate this tour as the best! Everyone concerned upheld the highest
standards of excellence throughout my Laurus tour experience!
Jerry L.
Wallingford, Connecticut
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-----Original Message-----
From: Bev & Einar Cxxxxxx [mailto:cxxxxxxx@telus.net]
Sent: June 30, 2007 10:56 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China in Depth
Dear Alan and Julius,
We would like you to know how much we enjoyed the 22-day China in Depth tour.
Our experiences exceeded our expectations in almost every respect, whether it
was transportation, accommodation, food, or venues visited.
We appreciated the conscientious and knowledgeable service provided by your
local tour guides, all of whom were excellent. Although everyone deserves our
commendation, we were particularly impressed by Sherman for his professionalism
and his very good command of the English language; Howard for his local and
historical knowledge and his enthusiastic manner; but particularly we express
our thanks to Linda, our Suzhou guide who gave us outstanding service as noted
in the following anecdote.
On Day 9, upon reaching the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to fly to Yichang, we
realized that a recently purchased silk tapestry had been left behind in the
Suzhou Sheraton Hotel lobby 80 km away. Linda contacted the hotel by cell phone,
but no one had seen the tapestry. We assumed that it was lost. Linda, however,
said she would go to the hotel on her return to Suzhou, and if lucky enough to
find it, she would forward it to us.
Imagine our surprise on Day 19 when we arrived at The Great Wall Sheraton in
Beijing to find a very carefully wrapped parcel containing our "lost" tapestry.
Truly this was an example of outstanding service by Linda.
Many thanks to all of you at Laurus for providing us with a wonderful tour.
Sincerely,
Bev and Einar C.
North Vancouver, British Columbia
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug & Eileen [mailto:demxxxxxx@cogeco.ca]
Sent: May 31, 2007 6:30 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China in Depth, May 3
Dear Julius,
We are just back from our 3-week, "China in Depth" trip
May 3-24. We found it a very well-planned, well-paced, and well-priced trip. The
last-minute upgrades you added were a real bonus! Our tour leader, John, was
wonderful. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but he is conscientious,
kind, thoughtful, and always helpful. He is a real gem in the tourist business.
Our trip encompassed not only the history of China--a rich history stretching
back over 5000 years, but a clear overview of the present China and a glimpse of
the future. We were in awe of the pace of development in today's China.
It became clear, that your goal was to make our trip
memorable, and to make us, as clients, feel very special and pampered. The
"extras" that you included were unexpected and we appreciated each and every
one!
Thank you--all of you--for a fabulous holiday and great
memories of China.
Doug & Eileen M.
Peterborough, Ontario
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Sent: April 24, 2007 4:40 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour Feedback
Hi Alan and Julius,
Just want to say thank you for the marvellous 20 day
tour of China your company provided my mother and I in March. It exceeded all
our expectations in every area! We have travelled extensively, with many
different tour companies in the world, and would put your company right at the
top! Our tour guide, Amanda, was also superb. She was professional,
knowledgeable, helpful and fun to be with. I will always recommend you first for
travel in China. Many, many thanks for making my mother's 70th birthday in China
so special. May your business continue to prosper as it so deserves.
Ezria J.
Victoria, British Columbia
Sent: March 30, 2007 3:12 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Re: China Tour Feedback
Hi everybody at Laurus. We just got back from our trip
to China and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for a
wonderful time. Our guides (Grace, Sherman, John, Amanda) definitely were the
reason our trip was so successful. they are a wonderful bunch of people who are
hard working and a pleasure to be with. We will never forget them. The drivers
were amazing. I have such respect for those guys. Always polite and prompt. We
felt like VIP's!! China is a wonderful country and we couldn't believe how
comfortable and at home we felt. It was hard to leave. But we are already
thinking of going back and exploring the southern area. Again, thank you.
Dennis & Dayle P.
Penticton, B.C.
p.s. we are telling everyone to book with Laurus travel.
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-----Original
Message-----
From: Richard Sxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxxx@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 11:11 PM
To: xxleavenworth@xxx.com
Subject: Laurus Tours
Greetings,
We took the 18 day China Odyssey Tour in October [2006] and it couldn't
have been better. My wife and I have traveled a lot but never in a group.
From the moment we arrived in Shanghai until we left Beijing we were
treated royally. Our tour guide was exceptional and the local guides
equally so. Accommodations were excellent and all the tour busses clean
and roomy with good local drivers. The pace was about right and with few
exceptions due to flight delays, we saw everything promised in the tour
brochure and more.
I can't think of a thing to be negative about this tour and the company.
They are the best and I don't think you could go wrong with them.
Dick S.
La Canada, California
I would like to say that our trip [China Panorama, Sept
13/06] was fantastic! It exceeded our expectations. The local guides were very
knowledgeable and they went out of their way to make sure our questions were
answered. At times the English was a little rough but we managed to communicate.
I would say that all the guides with the exception of Helen (I think that was
her name) in Chengdu were excellent. In Helen's case I felt she just wanted to
get our tour over as soon as possible. Our marathon race to view the Pandas then
the rush to the museum left us feeling that we didn't really get enough time.
Perhaps the long day and high altitude from the day before added to our
unpleasant experience with Helen. We were very happy with our sightseeing stops
and the time allotted at each one. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable car ride
was breath-taking, as was the Stone Forest. The Yangtze River cruise was the
highlight, beautiful scenery and wonderful crew. One recommendation I would make
with this tour is to switch days for the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain sightseeing.
With experiencing the lack of oxygen and a late night flight everyone was pretty
exhausted. I would definitely recommend this tour to everyone. It was well
organized and we felt that it showed us how diverse the people and the country
is! Please feel free to use us as a reference.
When I was looking for a China tour I'd talked to our
local travel agent who was unable to get what we wanted. I started looking on
the Internet and discovered Laurus Travel. I knew nothing about Laurus other
than what was on their website and their record with better business bureau. So
I very nervously decided to take a chance they were legit and booked our trip.
When we got off the plane in Shanghai we were met by Edward who was picking up
another group and he waited so we could get a ride to the hotel. I knew then I'd
picked a good travel service. So if you have clients needing recommendations
please feel free to contact me. I'm saving the best for last. Our guide John who
spent the 24 days with us. This young man is an asset to Laurus Travel! John
patiently guided us and provided us with an endless supply of information! Thank
you for your helping hand on the numerous steps and making our trip a wonderful
experience! We enjoyed getting to know you and your country.
Margaret & Harvey B.
Smithers, British Columbia
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Excellent tour [China Odyssey, Oct 9/06]. We came away
from it thinking very highly of Laurus. I don't know how this group got put
together but the chemistry was great and added immeasurably to the pleasure of
the tour. We would like to visit China again.
Duff & Shirley S.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Hi Julius!
Ross & I returned from our trip to Beijing etc. a few days ago. I want to tell
you what excellent staff you have in China!!
 When we got off the plane, Lucy was right there with
the banner saying "Laurus Travel". She was just excellent the whole time we were
there. She took great care of everyone and it was clear that everyone thought
she did a super job!
The local guide for Beijing was Leon. He was just
wonderful!! You may have already heard that one of the ladies on the tour took
ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. It was in the evening but Leon came
back to the hospital to translate for her sister and for her. That is just top
notch service! We can't say enough about what a good guide Leon was!
If you have anyone who needs a reference for your
company, please feel free to use our names. You can be sure that we will be
recommending your company to our friends.
Beth & Ross H.
Whistler, British Columbia
Everything about this trip [China Highlights with Hong
Kong, Oct 6-23, 2006] was outstanding especially the tour leader Harry. He was
the most accommodating person I have ever met. The hotels were by far the best
hotels of any tour I have been on. I have told everyone about your service and
they can hardly believe the things I have told them as they have never
experienced such service. I want to thank you for the most enjoyable experience
I have ever had.
Beverly W.
Desert Hot Springs, California
My husband and I are seasoned travellers and we have had the opportunity to
visit many wonderful places all over the world. We were new to the group tour
idea, and we had a few reservations going into it. Quite honestly, we had a
wonderful time and met some great folks on our trip. Because the country was so
large, the impeccable planning allowed us to see most the sights we wanted to
visit. The itinerary was one that kept us very busy, which we liked, so there
was not a lot of wasted time, waiting for the group to catch up. We were lucky
enough to have Alan Yuan with us on our trip, and his attention to customer
service was excellent. I would highly recommend this trip to China without
hesitation and would be pleased to provide additional information to someone who
is considering the trip. Job well done.
Linda and Dave H.
Toronto, Ontario
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Last summer [2006], I took a group of 18 students to
China from the University of North Dakota. I asked Laurus Travel to make many of
the arrangements for us and I was extremely happy with how smoothly everything
went. Julius and the others at Laurus worked with us to get everything we asked
for and we had no problems at all on our trip. The students loved our guides and
thanks to Laurus Travel, our trip was a huge success. I can't recommend this
company highly enough!
Dr. Colleen Berry
Assistant Professor,
University of North Dakota
 Comment on Leader:
An outstanding leader; we would go on any other trip with him. Laurus would do
well to use him to his fullest extent. His personal interest in the clients was
impressive, and he made us feel safe, independent, and knowledgeable. He
listened to our interests and needs. We can't say enough good things about John
Ma. He took initiatives to make our trip better such as calling you about our
extra time between flights in Chengdu. We could not have asked for a better trip
and travel company to deal with. We are most satisfied; thank you for all you
planning, support, and pleasant dealings.
Fred and Nancy B.
Los Gatos, California
Stew and I really appreciated the value we received for our time and money on
your tour. It was a wonderful experience. I recommend your tour without
reservation to anyone who expresses an interest in travelling to China. Please
feel free to give our names as references.
Marg and Stew B.
Georgetown, Ontario
Laurus gets our highest recommendation. Dollar for dollar, personal care, the
best of people taking care of us every minute of every day. From the office,
owner, staff; you made this trip a memory of a life time. The sensory overload
was incredible at times but we would do this trip again anytime....after
recovering from the jet lag anyway. Bravo to Laurus. And Julius...You showing up
at the dinner was an extra treat. The personal touches never ended.
Arthur L. and Janet C.
Vernon, British Columbia
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-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 5:15 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Tour Customer Survey
Harry was exceptional! He made the difference from our trip being excellent
to it being outstanding! The fact that Harry had lived through and could tell us
stories about the Cultural Revolution and the student protests in Tiananmen
Square made this trip much beyond our expectations! The sights, activities and
hotels were first rate. Harry was the cream on the crop!
We were very very pleased with our trip and would highly recommend Laurus
Travel to anyone considering a trip to China. In fact, I have already written an
entry on the frommers.com message board about our trip with your company as it
was on the Frommers site that I found out about Laurus Travel. Your company put
together an exceptional small group tour and we were thrilled to have had the
opportunity to experience China with such a wonderful group of 8 people. Thank
you Julius! It was also a pleasure to meet you in Beijing!
Cheri P.
Woodstock, Ontario
I was absolutely delighted with this trip. We have
traveled extensively in North America and Europe, but never in Asia until now.
I'm a history teacher and I taught world history for years, and to be able to
see so much of China and its history in just a few days was remarkable. Many,
many thanks for organizing an outstanding trip - and that's especially true
because it was so reasonably priced!
Charles C.
New York, New York
-----Original Message-----
From: Denise C. [e-mail deleted]
Sent: June 9, 2005 8:07 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Letter of Recommendation
Good Morning Julius,
I just want to let you know we truly enjoyed our trip to China on the 24-days
China Special [May 9-June 1]. Attached is a recommendation letter for you to
post on your website, if you wish. Peter and I felt this venture
was worth every penny. I will recommend Laurus Travel to all my friends who wish to travel to China.
Thank you Laurus Travel,
Denise C.
Coquitlam, British Columbia
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 We just completed our 18 day tour
[China Odyssey, May 18, 2005] with tour
leader David Cheng. Everyone on our trip had a great time, and David made
everything interesting and humorous for us... He Deserves a big raise! Attached
is a picture of our group.
Thanks,
Paul M.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 Hi
Julius,
Just want to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip with you to China. It
was absolutely amazing. To see so much in 17 days [China Odyssey, April
13-30/05] without feeling 'hurried' was incredible. The local guides were very
personable and informative and we got a good overall picture of this diverse
country, and your extra 'anecdotes' just added to the overall understanding we
now have of China. We would also like to thank you for providing such excellent
hotels and restaurants, for changing the itinerary so we could see the sunrise
over the Great Wall and for that wonderful trip down the Yangtze River on the
Katarina, all done at such a reasonable cost. But most of all we would like to
thank you for being our tour guide, for your patience, your good humour and your
illuminating insights into the way China is today. This is a trip that will linger
long in our memories.
Thank you,
David and Marjorie D.
Kingston, Nova Scotia
ps. We are already starting to save for another Laurus trip in the near future!
Just a short note to tell you how I feel about the Oct. 6-23, 2004 China
Odyssey tour I was on. In one word it was GREAT. The hotels were all first rate,
the transportation and bag handling were handled with absolutely no problems,
the food was excellent - varied and interesting but always delicious. It was a
good thing that I struggled a bit with chopsticks, otherwise I would have eaten
far too much.
The tour was very well planned to let us see as much as we possibly could in
the time we had. I’m not used to such an active level of sightseeing, but I
can’t think of a single thing I would have been willing to miss.
It was certainly a pleasure for us to have such a small group. We were always
able to sit at the same table for lunch and dinner, and there was a nice amount
of space on the small busses we used. I think it is worth a small premium to
travel with such a small group, as I am sure the experience is very different
when the group size is over 20 or so.
One of the best features of our tour was in having Linda Tan as our guide. I
cannot imagine having anyone better suited for that strenuous job. She has an
excellent knowledge of all the places we visited, a good sense of humour, lots
of energy, and great dedication to making the tour a complete success. I felt
that Linda took special care of me as I was by far the slowest and most
out-of-shape of the group - but I guess everyone felt that they got lots of care
and attention from Linda. In addition, Linda’s willingness to talk about her
personal life, her family and her education gave this tour a dimension far
beyond just looking at the sights.
Thanks for a great trip!
Robbie R.
Toronto, Ontario
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Just a note to let you know what a great time I had on the Laurus Silk Road
Tour! The whole trip was great -- the hotels, the food, and the sights were all
terrific. The guides and drivers were helpful, knowledgeable and thoughtful. I'm
telling all of my friends to book their China trips through Laurus Travel.
Please feel free to use my name as a reference!!
Jan B.
Columbus, Ohio
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From: joyce Robertson [e-mail address deleted]
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 9:22 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Customer Feedback
People think we are getting a commission from you as we have told anyone who ask
that they should use you if they want to go to China! Thank you so much for
arranging everything for us. We had a great time!
Joyce R.
Malvern, Ohio
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From: Tania G. [e-mail address deleted]
Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2004 12:27 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Tour Feedback
The trip was all that we had hoped for and much,
much more.
We would like to thank you for all your help and look forward to recommending Laurus Travel to all our friends!
Tania G.
Ottawa, Ontario
 I can't describe what a wonderful trip we had in a short note. We had an
amazing time. Every day was filled with a new adventure and the time went by so
quickly that I can't believe we were on a fifteen day excursion. It would be
very difficult to choose a specific highlight of the trip but the fact that we
climbed the Great Wall of China was very much one of the highlights of our
lives. We fell in love with Linda Tan. She is an excellent tour guide. She is
very dedicated to her job and has so much knowledge of all the sites that we
visited as well as a lot of fun to be with. The flexibility built into the trip
and just enough free time to be able to get out and visit spots on our own made
this a perfect 15 days [Oct. 15-29, 2003]. I'm sure a lot of planning on
your part has gone into these trips. I look forward to one day being able to
contact you again to arrange another China experience. If anyone is ever
looking for a reference I would be more than happy to talk to them.
Michele & Jacques G.
Oakville, Ontario
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We really had an exceptionally good time during our tour
with Laurus Travel, certainly the most enjoyable travel experience since
our honeymoon! We would do the Laurus Travel experience again and not
change a thing! We found the tour to be very well proportioned and
balanced in terms of content and exposure. For example: |
- We alternated between urban and rural exposures to give us renewed contrast
while preventing "culture overload".
- It is not easy to define the climax of the 3 week tour because the
highlights were thoughtfully spaced and interspersed with highly diverse
historic, cultural, artistic and epicurean adventures.
Our first meeting as a group was thoughtfully conducted and paved the way for
the "family" association that quickly evolved and allowed the feelings
of sharing and discussion to enhance the overall experience.
All of our guides were first rate, amicable and enthusiastic. They spoke
English well and carried an exceptional knowledge of history and culture across
the regions that we visited.
By the standard to which we are accustomed, accommodation was at least very
good and more than occasionally, resplendent!
Meals? Who would have thought that we could eat Chinese food for 3 weeks and
never lose our enthusiasm for it? The variations and creativity were awesome.
The presentation sometimes bordered on art. I never thought that we would be
eating peas with chop-sticks. We shall never forget that Chinese Scotch, either!
Service was excellent throughout the tour, whether in a restaurant, bar, taxi
or hotel. We can think of no instance where we expressed a service need that was
not fulfilled promptly and courteously. We enthusiastically recommend Laurus
Travel to anyone who wants a diverse, First Class China travel experience.
Ron & Dawn P.
Kingston, Ontario
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Weeks have passed since our trip to China, but there is hardly a day when we
do not, in some way, go back and relive those days. That was an incredible trip
that will stay with us forever. Thank you for selecting an itinerary and program
that gave us as complete a picture of the country as was possible in such a
short time, for your superb organizational abilities in making "things
click" in a country where that is not always easy, for providing
transportation, restaurants, and accommodations that were excellent, and for
guides, both Mike Shen the national guide, and the local guides, who were both
helpful and informative. And, to top it all off, the cost of the tour was
extremely reasonable. Your name and e-mail address now must be in a number of
databases both locally and nationally. Jim and I have been giving them out with
gusto as we have no hesitation in recommending your services.
Irene & James B.
Seattle, Washington
 We loved China and have recommended a China trip and Laurus Travel to friends. We would love to travel again in China and would choose Laurus Travel, confident that the trip would be great.
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Lyn & Terry P.
Richmond, British Columbia |
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We had an absolutely fabulous time, thank you so very much. Everything went
very smoothly and the group size was perfect. We were very impressed with the
organization and the country was amazing. We would be very interested in going
back to the silk road in the future - not next year, but perhaps after that.
Keep us in mind for this in the future.
Wilma & Donald H.
Gabriola Island, British Columbia
 We
had a wonderful time in China. This vacation was a great adventure and
we would rate it a 10 out of ten. We will have no trouble in promoting
your company and China tours to our friends and others in the community.
Please feel free to use our names for personal
reference.
Pat & Gail W.
Vernon, British Columbia
I have been to China three times over
the past five years and I am glad to say this trip with your company is
simply the best. John took very good care of everybody and we were
fortunate to have such a pleasant, experienced and fun person as our
tour leader. The local guides and drivers were very good too, they did
everything possible to accommodate our individual needs. I am looking
forward to travelling with your company again.
Steven M.
Toronto,
Ontario
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I thoroughly enjoyed the recent China tour; your planning is
excellent. Everything which you described was provided, and the
arrangements exceeded my expectations. Eric is an outstanding
representative for Laurus. He’s cheerful and patient, and all
arrangements were very smooth. I would not hesitate to recommend Laurus
and this tour to others.
Dave M.
El Segundo,
California
I was very pleased with all the tour
arrangements. I will be sending you a more formal letter which you may
use as a reference for future clients. You may also give my name and
contact information to any potential clients who might like to contact
me directly; they will receive from me high praise for your firm's
services.
The Rev. Janet L.
Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank
you for taking care of us so well during our recent trip to China. We were completely satisfied
and have nothing but great
things to say about your company. The guides and drivers couldn't have
been better, they were courteous, friendly, experienced and
accommodating. The meeting with Julius before the tour is another
highlight of our experience dealing with your company. Having contacted
three other companies before visiting your office, we found his
knowledge and enthusiasm refreshing.... My mother-in-law will travel
with your company this fall, I am sure she'll have a great time as we
did.
Ron L.
Vancouver, British Columbia
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 The trip was wonderful. I feel that when you asked Eric to be our Tour
Director you were choosing the very best for us. He is both a gentle person
and a gentleman. We were pleased with the quality of the hotels, meals and
things we were able to do...
Marie W.
Petrolia, Ontario
Having been on many organised tours, I would like to congratulate you for
having done such a marvellous job. My sister and I totally enjoyed the trip and have been enthusiastically promoting your company among friends and
neighbours. We are in love with China and look forward to going back in the near
future.
Teresa M.
Sydney, Australia
 Thanks for a wonderful trip. Cathy and I had a great time. The local guides
were knowledgeable and went out of their way to make our visit enjoyable. The
hotels were better than expected and the East Queen was a first rate ship. The
group size was perfect and we really enjoyed getting to know our fellow
travelers. Dollar for dollar it was a great deal. Thanks again.
Dueane D.
Washington, DC
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Let me thank you so much for such a wonderful trip (15-day China Experience
in June, 2002). We really had a great time, the sightseeing was wonderful, the
hotels were superb and the company was excellent. It was a pretty nice group we
had there and most of all, the guides were really experienced and knew the
history of China very well, so that the explanations were very clear and
interesting. Richard, our guide throughout the tour was very responsible and
took care of us as if we were his own children, we all liked him very much. He
was really helpful in all matters. The food was great, although a western meal
here and there would be nice too. Anyway, overall I would rate the trip a 10 out
of 10. It offered much more than we had expected. We are really grateful to you.
I have recommended you and this trip to many friends, and you will be
receiving some mails from people in Monterrey, Mexico pretty soon. I tell them
it is really worth the money. I wish you would have other Asian destinations in
your portfolio, like Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, etc so that we might travel
with your agency again soon. We would like to repeat this wonderful experience.
Beatriz R.
Monterrey, Mexico
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 I am writing regarding the trip in Asia that I just completed. I have nothing
but praise for Laurus
Travel. The trip that you established for us was nothing short of first class. A
group consisting of 10 college students is a tough task alone, but our tour
guide Eric was the most organized, knowledgeable tour guide I have ever met. He
was very accommodating with us and made our experience a great one. Laurus
Travel is a great company and I will forever be grateful for
your efforts in making our trip in Asia enjoyable.
Brandon R. G.
Hudson, Ohio
We still couldn't believe what an incredible deal we just got ourselves!
Before we heard about your company through a friend, we had done
some research on the Internet and had a pretty good idea about what we wanted to
do and how much we'd expect to pay. Without the friend's endorsement, we'd be
hesitant to book with you because the tour you offered seems too good to be
true. How wrong could we have been! I mean every aspect of the tour is
fantastic, the hotels, the meals, the guides, etc, exactly as you promised. We
couldn't have asked for more. Everybody on the tour agreed it was a steal at
that price and the arrangements far exceeded our expectations. Thank you so very
much!!! Please feel free to let us know, anytime, if you need us to be your
reference.
Tim & Amanda L.
Los Angeles, California
We were quite impressed and frankly a bit surprised by the quality of the
tour. I am sure that it will only improve over the next few years as the
equipment and quality of the local guides progress. Many of us found Laurus on
the internet and while your program seemed to meet our needs, we were not sure
of what to expect. We do now and it was wonderful.
Dr. Donald C.
Salem, South Carolina
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We have just returned from our '15 day China Experience' tour. Words can not
express the experience. It was the most fantastic trip we have taken, and we
have travelled a great deal. It exceeded our expectations. The accommodations
were superb--yes the hotel at Qufu was a little worn, but you did advise us that
it was the best available. The courteous and friendly staff certainly outweighed
any inconvenience of the room.
The food--what can I say!! My husband gained about 10 lbs!! We enjoyed trying
all the new dishes--and there were plenty of them. In fact we felt guilty that
we couldn't finish all of them. The travel modes were wonderful and always
punctual--from the great drivers of the buses, to the train, to the air flights.
The itinerary was well planned and very diversified. We were always very
busy, but never felt rushed. The information from the guides was very good and
very interesting.
Oh yes, the guides. Their enthusiasm with their country and their heritage
made us feel privileged that we could share a small part with them. Always
friendly, always helpful in any way, going out of their way to make sure we
thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the tour. And they succeeded.
I would like to make a special mention to our national guide, Linda Tam. What a
wonderful person she is. This was not a job for her. This was her great joy to
be able to share as much information with us as she could, to make this a fun
tour, and also to learn from us as much as she could. Her knowledge was
extensive. She never missed any details of the tour, always on schedule, never
allowing anything to upset her because she always had everything well in hand.
Her smile was the first and last thing we saw everyday. She was not our tour
guide, she was our new friend. I hope that you become aware of her, because she
is a great ambassador for her country, and she would be thrilled if she could
visit Canada . I know you consider someone every year to visit Canada, and I
certainly hope you keep her in mind.
Again I would like to thank you for providing us with such a wonderful trip.
We were skeptical like many other people, because it seemed too good to be true
at such a low price. You definitely proved us wrong. I hope you continue to
increase your tours because we will certainly consider your travel agency again,
and will certainly recommend you to our friends.
Chantal and Lorne Z.
Milton, Ontario
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 Two things that we forgot to mention, i.e., the two most memorable events - 1)
to spend the night at the very quaint old fashioned inn at the Great Wall and
woke up to see the Wall and climbed it with no other tourists but fresh air and
light dust of snow. 2) the bicycle ride in Yangshuo to see the country side and
the beautiful scenery. We had a great group and am sure that they share most of
the views that I have expressed. The itinerary arranged by your company truly
provided us with an impressive panoramic view of China. I definitely recommend
your company to all my relatives and friends.
Thanks and wishing you continued success!
Mary & Bob F.
Thornhill, Ontario
Let us express our appreciation to you for the outstanding China Panorama
Tour October 8, 2003. The tour exceeded our expectations in every aspect and
left us with a great and lasting appreciation for the country, its history,
sights and people.
... and we hope that
we have an opportunity to travel with Laurus again. We would be pleased to serve
as a reference for your future potential customers, and you can certainly give
them our e-mail address if you wish to do so. Your have our highest
recommendation, and sincere thanks for a memorable visit to China.
Jan & Catherine K.
Woodbury, Minnesota
 Betty wrote: Every aspect of the trip surpassed my expectations. I
was especially delighted with the personal attention given to each of us in our
small group; I believe everyone felt valued and even pampered. Any individual
interests or needs were seen to immediately so that all were delighted to follow
the program and enjoy the experiences and each others' company . This was not my
first experience of a conducted tour but it was by far the best.
Sue, Betty's daughter, wrote: This was my first organized tour and I fear it
has spoiled me for all others. I quickly felt as if I was traveling with a
knowledgeable friend. The activities encourage group cohesion and the skills of
both the tour leader and the local guides contributed to a memorable experience.
I have not been able to stop talking about our adventures, none of which would
have been possible without the care and attention of Julius Yan and the local guides.
Betty & Sue M.
Toronto, Ontario
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Yes, the tour was fabulous. We did everything on the itinerary and more! If
anything we were too busy, but that is not really a complaint. Our guide,
Michael, worked very hard on our behalf and went out of his way to add
little extras and help out. For instance our luggage was damaged and he
interceded to secure a settlement with the hotel involved. He worked extra
hard with respect to our luggage and transfers at airports and hotels...much
appreciated. He is quite the character and his knowledge, honesty, and sense
of humour were appreciated.
China remains a fascinating place and is rapidly changing. We were there in
1995 and the changes were well under way and this continues today. The
Chinese are now touring about the country and they are facing some major
traffic congestion problems. Somehow though, I think the Chinese will solve
these problems.
Thanks for everything and we think we really got our money's worth. We
certainly think you run a top notch operation. You gave excellent advice and
we feel you earned our trust. We will pass your name on to others and we
will certainly use your services if required. Best wishes for the future.
Yours truly,
Heather and Bob M.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
 In general, the trip was well beyond our expectations, well planned,
pampering, pleasing, and above all - very informative. We have recommended it to
our friends, and some of them have shown their interest in taking the same trip
themselves.
We hope to join in the future one more of your trips. Thanks again.
Gil and Neomi W.
Jerusalem, Israel
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Of all the international trips we have taken our trip to China [22-day China
Panorama, October 10 - 31, 2004] was the most interesting and has left us with
marvelous images of a beautiful country in the throes of tremendous transition.
We have never enjoyed a voyage more.
Thanks for a wonderful experience.
Barney and Iris G.
Bellevue, Washington
Erika and I returned from our trip Saturday night full of happy memories.
Everything was excellent, the hotels, the food, the sightseeing program and all
the arrangements, but especially our tour leader, Linda Tan, who was on the job
24 hours a day, every day, always concerned about our comfort and well being. Never before were we taken care of so well!
Thank you very much,
Alfred S.
Toronto, Ontario
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