He startled the travel world a few months ago by selling a week in Beijing for only $888, including round-trip airfare between San Francisco and China. And now he's "doubling down" by operating air-and-land packages to Vietnam for only $1,699 per person, including round-trip air between San Francisco and Hanoi.
"He" is Wilson Wu, the enfant terrible of international tour operators, who apparently delights in seeing mouths drop open when he announces his products. His company until now has been called "China Spree". He's changing the name to "World Spree" to emphasize the fact that he's now dealing not simply with China but with all of southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos). Because his reputation is high for operating good quality tours for bargain rates, a great many avid travelers will now head to www.worldspree.com, clicking on "Tour Packages"
Mind you, the $1,699 price is good only for bookings made prior to August 31, and heaven knows whether that remarkable rate will be unchanged after that. Since round-trip airfare alone between San Francisco and Hanoi has got to be at least that high, it remains a mystery as to how Wilson is maintaining a total price of $1,699 for everything.
For that total sum, you not only receive your air fare (on Korean Airlines) but you get round-trip airport-to-hotel transfers, accmmodations in centrally-located five-star hotels throughout, in Hanoi, Danang, Hoi An and Saigon, full American buffet breakfast daily, all intra-Vietnam transportation and transfers, taxes and fuel surcharge, three other meals, and guided, sighteseeing tours with entrance fees.
All, again, for $1,699.
I'm told that after introduction of his packages to southeast Asia, Wu will be turning as well to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka in the very near future. So here's a tour operator who knows the trick of introducing a vast, new program: charge a miracle price.
