Please read the small print when you book a Hong Kong Tour
Some Hong Kong Tour Companies are masters of deceit
Me Jamie, English and 52 years living in Hong Kong and I know the know the place - I personally completed 2,324 Private Tours (6,000+ guests) from 2011 - 2020 and was considered one of the finest Private Tour Guides in Asia.
A blog post with a difference - Please do visit Hong Kong in 2024 | Travel, Tourism, Tours, Tips, Daily Life and my personal thoughts on Hong Kong - Pearl of the Orient
Discover the Real Hong Kong with Jamie
Almost a week on and I am still pretty angry at the moment and my blog posts of a couple of days ago probably shows that anger after myself and one of my associates took a popular group tour of Hong Kong, it had been a long time since I had been on a competitors tour so this was a perfect opportunity to update my knowledge, you can read about this by clicking the links below.
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 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.
Here is a tip - with these cheap tour or free tour companies ignore every review that uses the words | BRILLIANT | AMAZING | WONDERFUL | EXCEPTIONAL | FANTASTIC as I believe them to be fake reviews, this is why they get large batches removed from their listing as luckily and eventually Tripadvisor and Viator will investigate and take action (and not before time)
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.
Please read the small print when you book a Hong Kong Tour
Some Hong Kong Tour Companies are masters of deceit
Grace... the terrible tour guide with 10 years experience for Hong Kong Free Walks and Memory Tours and I know a good tour guide vs a bad tour guide.
Ask yourself thus 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
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)
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 chose 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 50 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 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.
Memory Tours - Hong Kong, one of the most popular tours in Hong Kong to take, I did it hundreds and hundreds of times.
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.
This is the what's included section of the Lantau Island Tour
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 or Tai O, again they are suggesting that the price includes these charges which do not exist.
This is also part of their tour blurb and I am quite incredulous at this one
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.
The fact of the matter is they imply that you go on the Cable Car and nowhere does it say this nor does it say you have to pay extra, people book this tour on this assumption and they get a bit mad when they find out reality.
Again, a comment about the cable car cost NOT being included.
So this company Memory Tours has 12 offerings and all of them have deceitful remarks, I cannot stress enough that you must read the small print and if you have any doubts then ask them to clarify.
In a nutshell, they completely take advantage of tourists arriving in Hong Kong with little or no knowledge of our great city, they offer free tours or very cheap tours with lots of small print and I know their type, they work on the assumption that no one will check anything but people do have a belief that the tour provider is being open and honest and does not engage on dodgy practices.
My last example is this :
This is their Hong Kong city tour offering, myself and an associated did the free version of this tour on 20th August 2024
Here are my comments
maximum of 100 people on the tour"? this is crazy - you do not take 100 people onto the streets of Hong Kong
There is no explanation of what “special request available” means
they can cancel the tour if it is raining, this is preposterous a bit of drizzle is not a problem it is extremely rare for it to rain all day in Hong Kong and just try and get your money back once the tour is paid for.
the drinks and snacks, maybe US$2 or US$3 per person at most - why not build it into the cost?
The Star Ferry price for an adult, single journey, upper deck ranges between US$0.70 - US$0.90 depending on the day of the week and it is quite a bit cheaper for the lower deck - why not build it into the cost?
The Tram Fee for an adult, single journey is US$0.40 - why not build it into the cost?
Entry | Admission to Tai Kwun and the Man Mo Temple - there are NONE nor are there any other attraction admissions on the tour.
This is not how an honest and ultra reliable tour operator in Hong Kong works and having been on one of their tours recently I can tell you, it is an awful experience.
I am totally aware that many people will think, well the price is cheap so expectations are very low, well think again and read my recent blog posts, they do not even try to give any sort of quality tour, you can do much better, every day they take hundreds of people out on their poor quality tours, cutting corners is an art form for them.
The old chestnut - “you get what you pay for” is never more true when you take a tour with this company (ies)
We took the free tour version of this tour, we where the only 2 people out of 20 guests that were on a free tour - I am simply too angry to write a review so my associate (a young lady and great friend who is one of the very best private tour guides in Hong Kong) did the job, she takes tours all over the world when she travels, she knows good from bad.
13 reasons to book a Private Tour of Hong Kong
The size of the group is limited to 1 - 6 people
Itineraries customised to your personal specifications with unrivalled flexibility
Go at your own pace based on your personal dynamics and circumstances
You can choose the date and starting time and it can cost a lot less than you think!
Beat the crowds! you will absolutely maximise the time for actual sightseeing
You get a local resident | expert with an insiders knowledge of Hong Kong - the ultimate benefit
Flexibility on changing the itinerary during the tour if required
An opportunity to make amazing memories with family and friends
An in-depth learning and participation experience
You will get a great value for money experience and you will get the best guides
The undivided attention of your Private Tour Guide
Going from attractions A to B to C to D to E seamlessly and hassle free with an expert
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
The truly stunning and amazing panoramic day view from the Lugard Road Lookout at Victoria Peak
The truly stunning and amazing panoramic night view from the Lugard Road Lookout at Victoria Peak
Lugard Road Lookout at Victoria Peak
If I had any followers on Instagram who liked views rather than my car images then this would be a classic, Mum, Dad and 4 kids aged from 12 - 22 from England, perfect weather, the planets aligned as they do on most days at the Peak.
This rather sums up Jamie’s spot at the Peak.
J3 Group Hong Kong
J3 Consultants Hong Kong | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong
J3 Consultants Private Hong Kong Experiences are tailored for individuals who prefer to explore Hong Kong independently but would like a Hong Kong Expert to tell them about Hong Kong
This unique experience offers an authentic insight into the real Hong Kong, providing a deeper understanding of the city's culture, history, and local way of life.
Led by Jamie, a dedicated Hong Kong specialist and resident for 52 years, the experience covers many aspects of Hong Kong's identity, spanning its time under both British and Chinese rule.
Cultural Tourism at it’s very best
J3 Private Hong Kong Experiences
You want to learn about the REAL Hong Kong from a local host
How local do you want to get?
You have come to the right place.
Jamie, your friend in Hong Kong
52 years living in Hong Kong, our family arrived on January 2nd 1972
I have lived here for 25 years under British Rule, 27 years under Chinese Rule
I have 45 years of Business Consultancy experience in Hong Kong
My wife is a local & has lived her entire life in Hong Kong, her first language is Cantonese
We have 3 Adult sons all born and educated in Hong Kong, 2 still live in Hong Kong
I pioneered the Private Tour Industry in Hong Kong in 2010
2,324 completed award winning Private Tours of Hong Kong from 2011 - 2020
……and yes, I am a bit of an expert on the Hong Kong car culture!
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Consultants Hong Kong | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | | 2011 - 2024.
All rights reserved.
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