China Focus and China Spree Are in a Price Skirmish That Will Benefit You

In recently relating how China Spree ( www.chinaspree.com ) has allegedly undercut China Focus Travel's ( www.chinafocustravel.com ) price for a one-week air-and-land package in late autumn to Beijing, charging $799 as compared to China Focus' $899, I neglected to point out -- I somehow didn't see it in the write-up -- that China Focus includes government fees and taxes in its price while China Spree adds $79 for those fees and taxes. Therefore, China Spree's real price is $878 versus China Focus' $899.

But that's not all. In a dramatic counter-attack, China Focus has now reduced the price for its one-week package to $875, and therefore claims to be cheaper than China Spree by $3.

[image error] Photo Caption: Temple of Heaven, Beijing. robwater/Frommers.com Community

And so it goes, to quote Kurt Vonnegut. All this was conveyed to me in a phone call I received yesterday afternoon from China Focus' operations director, Wanda Dow, who was perturbed that the world was led to believe (by me) that China Spree had undercut the former's prices. (I happen to believe there will be enough business to China this coming fall and winter to provide both companies with more than enough passengers.)

Ms. Dow also released the additional dates when China Focus' packages would continue to be offered at rock-bottom levels. "Simply Beijing," the package that flies you to the Chinese capital for a six-night stay there, will be priced at $875 (including taxes and fees) not simply in late November, but also for departures on January 3, 10, 17 and 24, February 7, 14, 21 and 28, and March 13.

As for China Focus' "signature tour" called Historic China, which takes you to spend nine nights in five Chinese cities, including round-trip air from San Francisco, for only $1,299, it will be priced at that level not only in late November, but for departures on January 5, 12, 19 and 26, February 9, 16 and 23, and March 6.

Click here for full details of China Focus' winter promotions. These air-and-land packages for $875 (six nights in Beijing) and $1,299 (nine nights in five cities) are a travel phenomenon. They are, as I have said before, the least expensive heavily-comprehensive tour programs in travel today, a remarkable adventure at a marvelous price.