NOTICE !!!!!
Because of the strong early bookings for the 2011 tour, our tour operator has just advised me that he has been successful in convincing the tour providers in China to extend the current Early Bird discounted price for the time being. With the current economic conditions in both the US and China, he was able to convince them that this price continues to make sense. Don't delay as we cannot predict if or when they could revert to the higher price and/or when we will sell out.
Call us toll-free at (866) 669-2288 or E-mail us at ChinaVIPTour@aol.com.
***************************************************
****************************************************
To open and print a ".pdf" version of the above flyer, click here.
****************************************************
  
TRAVEL AIRE 's 8th Annual exclusive
"American Aviators VIP Tour to China"
Early Bird Special - $2999* - all 5-star
19 days - March 13 - 31, 2011
[*per person, double occupancy]
CLICK on "Itinerary" to the right for full details. General information is below.
***************************************************
**Website best viewed on Internet Explorer (newest Version 8)**
Send E-mail NOW (ChinaVIPTour@aol.com) to be sure you can be a part of our next annual VIP tour to China.
***Be sure to add "ChinaVIPTour@aol.com" to your E-mail Address Book
so that any reply will not be sent to your SPAM folder.***
**************************************************************************
19-Day American Aviators VIP Tour to China – Special Treatment:
1. T.V. and News Media coverage in both Guilin and Xi’an.
2. VIP Banquet hosted by the Mayor of Guilin.
3. Special permission from the Guilin government to visit the old Yang Tang airfield.
4. The stone rubbing from the stone tablet that was inscribed by Mrs. Chennault will be presented as gift to everyone by the Mayor of Guilin.
5. VIP Banquet hosted by the Director of the City Tourism Administration in Xi’an.
6. Special visit to the largest aviation museum in all of Asia with special government permission.
Special Tour Features:
Shanghai: A unique city, once a European concession, blending western architecture & oriental culture, with bustling economic life - old town Shanghai, YuYuan Gardens, famous Bund, Nanjing Road, Acrobatic Show, ETC.
Suzhou: Cruise Grand Canal & “Venice of China”, Masters of the Nets Garden, Silk Factory, ETC.
Wuhan: Yellow Crane Pagoda, Ancient Bells & Museum, etc.
Yangtze River Cruise: Aboard the 5-STAR cruiser "Yangtze Angel" with all private balconies, cruise through the Three Gorges & visit world’s largest dam site, Shennong Stream or Three Lesser Gorges, & Wanxian or Fengdu, all along the most beautiful river in the world, ETC.
Chongqing: Panda Zoo, “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell and Flying Tigers museums, ETC.
Guilin: Visit the site of the old Yang Tang airfield and the command cave used by Gen. Claire Chennault at the site of the 300-acre Flying Tigers Heritage Park being built there. Aboard a scenic Li River cruise, pass through picturesque farms and fishing villages with its thousands of limestone outcroppings. Tour the Reed Flute Caves and Elephant Trunk Hill, ETC.
Xi’an: See one of the Wonders of the World - the 8000 terra-cotta warriors, plus the Ancient City Wall, the Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Tang Dynasty show & Dumpling Banquet, ETC.
Beijing: Great Wall, Beijing’s aviation museum, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Beijing National Olympic Stadium (“Bird’s Nest”), Beijing Duck Dinner, ETC.
All 5 Star Hotels:
Shanghai: 5* Four Points by Sheraton Shanghai, Daning or similar:
www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1986
Guilin: 5* Lijiang Waterfall Hotel or similar: www.waterfallguilin.com/english/index.asp
Xi’an: 5* Grand New World Hotel or similar: www.gdhxian.com/eng/home/main.htm
Beijing: 5* Beijing West Wanda or similar:
.www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-7160-pullman-beijing-west-wanda/index.shtml
5 Star Cruise Ship:
Angel #1: newly rennovated 5*cruise ship - for more information, visit:
www.ccotc.com/cruise_en/ship.jsp?ship_id=2004000099.
**************************************************************************
Full Itinerary details are found on the "Itinerary" page (click on at upper righthand side of this page).
**************************************************************************
Note: We continue to strive to keep our high-end tour offered at a low-end rice by utilizing both this web site and the use of E-mail for two-way communications. It is very important that you either have your own access to the Internet OR can arrange to have a friend, neighbor or family member offer to provide this on your behalf if you yourself do not use a computer.
**************************************************************************
Scroll below or click here to view SLIDESHOW of the March 2009 "Flying Tigers Heritage Park" surprise ground-breaking experienced only by our tour group.
**************************************************************************
SLIDESHOW
"Flying Tigers Heritage Park"
surprise Ground-breaking Ceremony
on our 2009 tour :
Our 2009 tour group was surprised by a fabulous ground-breaking ceremony in Guilin at the site of the future "Flying Tigers Heritage Park" (a joint Chinese/American project which has evolved as a direct result of our annual visits to the old airfield site).
If you cannot view the slide show below, click on the follwing link to the online Picasa web album which can be viewed in larger format with or without a sideshow - prints can be ordered there if desired:
This celebration included a marching band in full uniform, a bevy of beautifully-attired Chinese young ladies, 4 long dancing Chinese lions, fireworks off the surrounding mountains, and a stage full of local dignitaries. This event was covered by TV and newspaper media all over China. Wall-to-wall red carpeting surrounded the official ground-breaking site where the cornerstone monument was unveiled. The shovels and the waiting bull-dozers were decorated with large red bows. Everyone was given a beautiful orchid corsage and a beautiful gift bag, and asked to sign a long red banner which will later be hung in the new museum being built. You can view a number of photos now by visiting the following sister web site: www.FlyingTigersHistoricalOrganization.com and clicking on "News" and then scrolling down.
*************************************************************************
A VERY SPECIAL Project:
Please explore www.FlyingTigerHistoricalOrganization.com, our sister website formed for our joint project with China to create a 300-acre Memorial Park to the Flying Tigers at the site of the old airfield and Operations cave outside Guilin (formerly known as "Kweilin" in WW II) in SE China. China has pledged $3 million USD for their portion of this marvelous endeavor (plus an additional $23 million USD to add a 5-star hotel once the park is completed) and is asking us to raise $400,000 USD through our NON-PROFIT (= tax deductible for all donations) organization for our contribution from the USA to be applied to a specific part of the project.
Additional information also appears on the "Save the Cave" page on this web site - click on the "Save the Cave" button (upper righthand side of this page).
|
**************************************************************************
The 2011 Tour is once again ALL 5-STAR with all 5-star hotels and our 5-night Yangtze River cruise on a 5-star ship!
To sign up for our next annual tour, please refer to the instructions in Item #2 of the FAQ page. While we do take note of your intentions by E-mail or by phone, mailing in your deposit check with your completed and signed Reservation Form is the only way to actually hold space on the tour or on the inevitable wait-list.
The FAQ page also answers most of the early questions commonly asked by all. Just click on the link to the FAQ page on the upper right-hand side of this page to take you there.
*************************************************************************
Basic Tour package price includes :
- B747 wide-body Jumbo jet between San Francisco and China
- (other selected departure cities available for additional cost)
- All meals (except four - 2 lunches and 2 dinners)
- All 5-star hotel accommodations
- New 5-star all-window-view-with-balconies ship on the Yangtze River Cruise
- 4 domestic airline flights in China (all jet airliner)
- All transfers and admissions
- All sightseeing with English-speaking guides
Price does not include
- US & China Int'l and Domestic departure, airport and security taxes and fees
- China visa fee
- Tips and personal expenses
- Mandatory CSA Group Go! Travel Insurance Policy
Please click on the FAQ page (upper righthand side of this page) for more details ...
Of Special Interest to Aviators and WW II History Buffs:
- See All the Great Sights of China in the company of fellow aviators and with some of those who flew and fought there in World War II - hear their stories of being shot down and rescued or captured (Please see note at the bottom of this page).
- Hear the stories of the local Chinese who helped to build the airfields and helped to rescue our downed fliers.
- Experience VIP banquets with local dignitaries and TV and newspaper coverage along with Police Car Escort in Guilin and Xi'an (expedites our ground travel through the traffic).
- Tour Gen. "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell's Museum at his WW II headquarters in Chongqing ("Chunking" in WW II) and visit the new and growing Flying Tiger Museum and Gallery across the street.
- Explore the Headquarters cave at the airfield used by Gen. Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers of both the AVG and the 14th Army Air Force near Guilin ("Kweilin" in WW II) and meet some of those who helped to create that field out of a rice paddy, stone by stone.
- Enjoy a special tour of the largest aviation museum in all of Asia, near Beijing - much of it built inside a mountain, and with acres more on display outside.
Highlights of the Tour include the following:
- Shanghai - see the many sights there - both the remarkable old and the incredible new - and enjoy a spectacular acrobatic show
- Cruise on the 4000 year old Grand Canal in nearby Suzhou
- Jet to Wuhan to see historic points of interest and enjoy the 1st of 3 VIP banquets before you ...
- Board the newly neovated 5-Star "Yangtze Angel" Cruise Ship (with glassed-in elevator, marble staircase and all cabins with private balconies)
- Cruise up the Yangtze River for 6 days/5 nights through the Three Gorges
- Watch as we go through the 230' high Gezhouba Dam Lock
- Visit the construction exhibit for the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest
- Then experience proceeding through the 5-stage lock of this great feat - the final stage was completed in 2009
- Other shore excursions included during our Yangtze River cruise:
- Shennong Stream or the Lesser Three Gorges
- Wanxian or Fengdu
- Debark in Chongqing for a tour to include the Panda Zoo and Gen. "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell's museum featuring stories & photos of the Flying Tigers - plus the Flying Tigers Museum and Gallery across the street
[those on early flight to Guilin will have visited the Pandas at the Shanghai Zoo]
- Jet to exotic Guilin where we will be honored by special police escort during our stay.
- Visit the site of the old airfield used by the Flying Tigers and explore the cave used as headquarters by Gen. Claire Chennault - with special govt. permit
- Visit the amazing Reed Flute Caves and Elephant Trunk Hill
- Enjoy the 2nd of 3 VIP banquets with local dignitaries, TV & news coverage
- Cruise the exotic Li River through the most painted area of all of China
- Jet to Xi'an, ancient capital of China, with the only city wall still intact
- See the amazing 8000 terra cotta soldiers as well as other sights in Xi'an
- Enjoy our 3rd of 3 VIP banquets - this one featuring the famous Dumpling Dinner followed by a private performance by the famous Tang Dynasty Theatre
- Jet to Beijing and see Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, tour Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, experience the Great Wall before it is crowded with vendors and other tourists - all among many other sights - plus a special tour of the largest aviation museum in all of Asia.
- Enjoy a Peking (now "Beijing") Duck Dinner as our farewell banquet before spending a free day touring or shopping on your own (we provide lots of ideas & help).
Note: If you are or know someone who is a Flying Tiger from WW II (AVG, 23rd FG, 14th AAF, CBI Hump Pilots, etc., incl. ground support) and would like to be included on the 2011 tour as one of our special VIPs, please call us at (866) 669-2288. We also hope to attract family members of these WW II heroes to view the land their relative(s) helped to save.
Our tour is led every year by us personally. We have been going to China for many, many years. We enjoy a wonderful relationship and friendship with Mr. KC Ma of Asia Holiday Travel. Mr. Ma has been very supportive as we have developed our own special version of his basic marvelous tour of China - one which we had already been enjoying leading people on from the US. Our folks truly come away with a 1st class experience for a remarkably low price.
PLEASE NOTE: We have been so honored and privileged to escort a number of Flying Tigers with our group over the past seven VIP tours. It is so wonderful to see how the Chinese receive these fine heroes from days gone by and still remember them with such awe and respect. We hope to be able to escort more in 2011 but cannot promise this at this time as age is taking its toll on these remarkable heroes. We do expect to have a few very special people with us because of the Grand Opening of Phase I of the Flying Tigers Heritage Park. We will keep you informed as the departure date looms closer. We promise the same historic VIP tour regardless.
RETURN to the TOP
Last updates to Website August 25, 2010
Webmaster, Tori Armstrong
|
