Watch out for misleading tour itineraries which are rampant

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| Cultural Tourism At It’s Very Best |

J3 Premium Private Hong Kong Tours and Experiences

Jamie, Your Passionate Hong Kong Expert & Storyteller

Discover Hong Kong - Pearl of the Orient

Learn about the unbiased, real Hong Kong | forget what you read in the press!

Why you should do your research before booking a Tour

If you had not already guessed if you read my blogs, I have a thing about a company called Memory Tours in Hong Kong who are far to clever for their own good and only now are a lot of their tour guests realising that the tour they were promised does not materialise mainly because their tour images and tour itineraries are quite misleading, the tactics they use would fall under the phrase “bait and switch” in most countries.

Frankly I am getting quite annoyed with them, there is simply no need for them to use these methods, a trip to Lantau Island to visit the Big Buddha, The Po Lin Monastery, ride on the NP 360 cable car and visit the Tai O Fishing Village can be a magical experience if you use the right tour company.

My friends understand why I get angry, ever since I started my tour business in 2010 I was committed to providing the very best tours in Hong Kong and worked 7 days a week for 9 straight years doing private tours and research, I simply have a problem with tour companies who offer an inferior product and make no attempt to increase the quality, they simply set a cheap price and fit everything into that price, so everything is inferior from the itinerary to the guide, they cut corners and engage in deceitful practices.

The worst part - they list on Viator and Tripadvisor and give away pretty much all of their profit just for the privilege of listing on these platforms and then cut as many corners as they can, they simply DO NOT CARE about the guest experience as there will always be another 20 - 200 people a day later and the day after that, I would like to think that the guest is looking for a quality experience, maybe they just do not care and accept that the cheap price is more important.

I can tell you, they do not in any shape or form provide a 5 star tour that would warrant a 5 star Tripadvisor or Viator review., they should be ashamed of themselves and worse is the number of fake reviews they get.

If you are on a private tour 1 - 6 people you have the undivided attention of a superior guide who really knows their stuff and knows how to keep people riveted for 8 hours and you get a terrific and meaningful insight into Hong Kong., the quality of a tour drops dramatically the more people are on it, by the time you get to 20 guests on the tour you can say goodbye to any one on one conversations with the guide, you will simply get the guide shrieking at you because people cannot hear what is being said and I am simply amazed that the company that is the target of my ire is willing to take 100 people on their tours, one guide cannot possibly look after 100 people.

Above are links to 3 blog posts that I have also written relevant to this post, my aim is simple and that is to convince you to carefully consider booking a Private Tour of Hong Kong with my friends, they offer fabulous experiences at prices you can afford and you will come away with memories to last a lifetime, I would hate it if you have a horrible experience with a tour company that has very questionable business practices and are masters of the art of deceit.

Lantau Island in Hong Kong Day Trip

The Big Buddha | Po Lin Monastery

The NP 360 Cable Car | The Tai O Fishing Village

Watch out for misleading tour itineraries which are rampant

Ask yourself this very simple question, a family of 5 comes to Hong Kong, Mum, Dad and 3 Kids, which tour do you think will give them a better experience of Hong Kong and those memories to last a lifetime

1. A private tour, just the top quality private tour guide and the family with a flexible itinerary going at your own pace (and see below for my 13 reasons to book a Private Tour of Hong Kong)

2. A group coach tour with a bored, underpaid “local guide” working from a prepared script, cracking awful jokes and you have another 20 - 100 tourists on the bus (buses) with you and you have no control of the tour itinerary including how long you spend at a particular place and no chance to interact one on one with the guide who generally has to screech to make themselves heard, the only thing that matters to them is to stick to the schedule and not lose anyone.

Frankly, what has gnawed away at me since 2010 is why people choose to book these group tours | free tours | coach tours, in general the tours are awful, for the paid tours they are very cheap and if ever there is a more apt phrase than “you get what you pay for” then I do not know of one.

This terrible business model has operated in Hong Kong for over 55 years and it is just recently (i.e. the past 18 months) that one or two poor quality tour companies are trying a new business model which is just a step up from free tours and a step down from coach tours and it involves a tour priced at a very low price and for them to make a profit they need numbers and basically they think a minimum of 20 people on the tour is the lowest going all the way up to 100 people., because the price is so cheap they cut corners on everything you can imagine and their slick tour itineraries need to be scrutinised as they leave out information that may impact on a decision to book one of their tours and they make it a half walking | have coach tour hybrid tour.

I will now give some specific examples of the deceit that is rampant with many tour companies in Hong Kong and they pretty much all offer their tours on the big OTA’S - Viator and Tripadvisor.

These acts of deceit may seem innocuous but they can cause all sorts of issues and ruin your day and I get really angry at these questionable deceitful practices.

Lantau Island in Hong Kong Day Trip

The Big Buddha | Po Lin Monastery

The NP 360 Cable Car | The Tai O Fishing Village

Basically on Tripadvisor and Viator, Memory Tours list this tour and they seem to offer 3 variations of it at different price points which I imagine is very confusing and yet a lot of disgruntled guests claim it is actually the same tour.

I do not think that the owner who writes review responses has any clue that he is damaging his reputation - His review responses are childish and completely without merit, he simply has no idea that his nonsensical, whining retorts are just perplexing.

He does not address the biggest issue which is that the NP 360 Cable car ride is NOT included and his tour blurb 100% implies that it is, they do not specifically say it is or isn’t but one of the main reasons people book the tour is because of the cable car ride which is terrific by the way.

In the tour inclusion section they mention the “Observation Deck” which is simply the terminus for the cable car in Tung Chung and you cannot see the Big Buddha from there! Of course they could also be referring to the Terminus at the Big Buddha which has a minuscule gift shop and you can see the Buddha through the windows of the terminus but why would you take someone there if you are not planning to go on the cable car it is quite a walk to the Buddha from the Cable Car Station.

Unfortunately the images they use of the cable car are probably the biggest reason why people get excited to do the tour, of course the owner of Memory Tours probably understands that including the cable car in the tour fee makes his tour seem a lot more expensive so on his tour script he says nothing as this may result in a significant drop in bookings, he is using a time worn bait and switch tactic

You will notice that a lot of people also complain about using a public bus from Tung Chung to Tai O and Tai O to the Big Buddha and the Big Buddha back to Tung Chung, this is a nightmare scenario if you have 15 - 30 people on the tour as we all know in Hong Kong that the buses on these routes are single deckers and can be packed and do not run every 10 minutes

This is his standard reply to a raft of recent reviews slating his Lantau Tour

Hello, really thks your review. 1. But the lantau island is the protected area, so we need to arrange a special licensed bus to enter the place , rather than a private coach. Please understand.

2. Your package include everything, Usually, guests like our services and arrangements. I think there may be misunderstanding. We strongly believe that this is only the exceptional case. Will investigate. Anyway, really thks your review once again. Please feel free to find us if you need any help. You are our vip. Your satisfaction is our priority. Welcome to Hong Kong

He does not really address the reason there is no private bus or coach, most guests would think, well why don‛t you hire a specially licenced bus? instead of using public transport?

I cannot imagine the hassle of taking 30 people on the bus to Tai O particularly if some of them have to stand, the drivers drive very fast and the road is very bumpy!

Another thing he has not thought about is that negative reviews can take on a life of their own if you do not address the very legitimate complaints people have... it will not stop people booking the tours because they have low expectations but it is funny how a lot of his disgruntled guests feel like they have been robbed!

In case you are wondering why this company drives me nuts - well it is quite possible that any quality Private Tour Companies who do a Lantau Tour may well be affected by these cheap group tours particularly if you compare the price between his group tour and a private tour., they offer a far superior product.

In addition, they have getting many negative reviews with regards to this tour for most of 2024 and yet continue to ignore the problem and address guest concerns, they must know this is a problem but they simply do not care.

… and finally when myself and a a great friend of mine did a free tour version of the paid tour we booked a few months ago, we were told before the tour started by Grace the tour guide that we would not be allowed on the tour unless we agreed to pay HK$100 each (US$12.80) and that we could not tell other tour guests we were on a free tour!!, this is just plain wrong and breaks the Trade Description Laws here.

This company fills a niche in the market of that there is no doubt but engaging in shady practices is the wrong way and they give Hong Kong Tour Companies a bad name., they need to fix this.

Basically the highlight of the experience is the amazing cable car ride to the Big Buddha, it really is something and one would assume that on this tour you will ride the cable car at least one way.

You will notice that they do not mention the Cable Car ride and that it is not even mentioned in the “what’s not included section” the point being, this is deceitful, the very large image certainly gives the impression that the cable car ride is the highlight of the tour, they should remove this image and make it clear that the cable car ride (one way, coming back) is an optional extra, they should state the cost and put this information in the “what’s not included section”

I should also point out that there is NO entry or admission fee to either the Big Buddha, The Po Lin Monastery or Tai O, again they are suggesting that the price includes these charges which do not exist.

In a nutshell they state that you stop at Ngong Ping 360 terminus in Tung Chung and this is where you get the cable car to the Big Buddha which is NOT included in the price, they claim that you can enjoy a “spectacular view of the Big Buddha” well that is news to me, in the Tung Chung Cable Car Terminus it is simply NOT possible to see the Big Buddha which is a very long way a way hidden in the mountains! it is 5.7km away and a 25 minute ride!

I can only surmise that they want you to shop in the gift shop (which does exist) and presumably they get a commission

Imagine your surprise and disappointment as the guest to find out that you will NOT be going on the cable car!! and you have just wasted half an hour “shopping” for souvenirs before getting on the public bus.

13 reasons to book a Private Tour of Hong Kong

1. The size of the group is limited to 1 - 6 people

2. Itineraries customised to your personal specifications with unrivalled flexibility

3. Go at your own pace based on your personal dynamics and circumstances

4. You can choose the date and starting time and it can cost a lot less than you think!

5. Beat the crowds! you will absolutely maximise the time for actual sightseeing

6. You get a local resident | expert with an insiders knowledge of Hong Kong - the ultimate benefit

7. Flexibility on changing the itinerary during the tour if required

8. An opportunity to make amazing memories with family and friends

9. An in-depth learning and participation experience

10. You will get a great value for money experience and you will get the best guides

11. The undivided attention of your Private Tour Guide

12. Going from attractions A to B to C to D to E seamlessly and hassle free with an expert

13. You will absolutely have a lot more fun! (p.s. and someone to take your picture!)

Please bear in mind the tour is just for you, your family or friends, 1 - 6 people, a private tour of Hong Kong is a combination of walking and using public transport which enables you to see the very best of Hong Kong and get those memories of a lifetime

Book Now

| Cultural Tourism At It’s Very Best |

J3 Premium Private Hong Kong Tours and Experiences

Jamie, Your Passionate Hong Kong Expert & Storyteller

Discover Hong Kong - Pearl of the Orient

Learn about the unbiased, real Hong Kong | forget what you read in the press!

© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Consultants Hong Kong | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | | 2011 - 2024.

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