China Odyssey Tours

What China Odyssey Tours does

China Odyssey Tours (legally Tang Dynasty Tours Co., Ltd.) is a privately held, founder-operated inbound tour operator specializing in bespoke private travel experiences across China. Founded in the 1990s and headquartered in Guilin with a regional office in Chatswood, NSW, Australia, the company employs 101–250 staff and has operated for over 20 years under brands including China Odyssey Tours, Odynovo, and previously Odyssey. The core product is fully customized private China tours, supplemented by small group tours (2–8 travelers), Yangtze River cruise combinations, and themed itineraries covering family, senior, food, Silk Road, Great Wall, photography, adventure, wellness, and student travel. Underlying technology is non-proprietary, relying on standard third-party tools for website analytics, live chat, email marketing, and payment processing (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, LiveChat, Emarsys, PayPal).

The business model is direct-to-consumer and sales-led: customers submit inquiries via website forms, phone (US and Australian numbers), or email; a personal travel consultant responds within 24 hours with a customized itinerary and quote. Pricing is bespoke with tiered accommodation options ranging from USD70–90 per person per night (3-star) to USD240+ (deluxe 5-star), tiered by group size, with a 30% deposit to confirm booking and balance due 20 days before arrival. Revenue streams include tour packages, ancillary services (flight booking, travel insurance, visa invitation letters, dietary accommodations), and a B2B Travel Agent Hub for third-party referrals. The company claims 98.5% of customers award a 5-star rating and has earned TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice recognition in 2025 and 2026.

The company's competitive positioning is grounded in native Chinese travel expertise, direct customer relationships without intermediaries, and a relationship-based service model where the same travel consultant supports the customer from planning through tour completion. Customer acquisition runs through SEO-optimized website content, Google Ads, Facebook advertising, email newsletter (with USD50 discount incentive), social media presence across major platforms, verified review platforms (TripAdvisor, Trustpilot, Feefo), and the agent referral channel. No AI/ML capabilities are disclosed in the operation.

Name

China Odyssey Tours

Legal name

Tang Dynasty Tours Co., Ltd.

Website

https://chinaodysseytours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

China Odyssey Tours is a privately held, 20+ year inbound tour operator (founded 1990s, headquartered in Guilin, China) offering bespoke private China tours and themed itineraries directly to international travelers from the US, Australia, Canada, the UK, and other countries via a 1-to-1 consultant model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides (THAJALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cruise + Guided Land Tour Packages (THAEAHAJ)

Keywords

• Private china tours
• Bespoke travel itineraries
• Yangtze river cruises
• Silk road tours
• Guided china vacation

Headquarters

HQ city

Guilin

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tour Packages: Customized private tour packages covering transportation, accommodations, meals, entrance fees, private guides and drivers. Pricing varies by group size, hotel tier, and itinerary customization level.
2. Add-on Services: International and domestic flight bookings, travel insurance, visa invitation letters, optional activities and entertainment. Revenue from ancillary services bundled with tour packages.
3. Group Size Pricing: Tiered per-person pricing based on group size (1 person, 2-5 persons, 6-9 persons, 10+ persons). Larger groups receive lower per-person costs, creating volume-based revenue optimization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

China Odyssey Tours designs and sells customized, private guided tours of China for international travelers. Each package bundles private transportation, English-speaking guides, hand-picked accommodations, meals, and entrance fees, with itineraries tailored to the customer's interests, budget, and pace. The company also arranges ancillary services such as flight bookings, Yangtze River cruises, and visa-related support, delivered directly without intermediaries.

Product overview

China Odyssey Tours operates as a bespoke tour operator offering primarily private, tailor-made China tours since the 1990s. The core product is the Private China Tours service featuring customized itineraries, private guides, and personal travel consultants. Supporting products include Group Tours for small parties, Yangtze River Cruise Tours combining river cruises with land exploration, and themed tours covering special interests like Family Tours, Senior Tours, Food Tours, Silk Road Tours, Great Wall Tours, Photography Tours, and Adventure Tours. Additional services include flight booking, professional tour guides, and dietary accommodations. The company differentiates through its 1-to-1 travel consultant model, 24/7 customer service, and direct relationships with local suppliers in China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private China Tours Fully customized private tours exclusively for the customer and their companions, including personalized itinerary, private guides, drivers, accommodations, meals, and entrance fees, served by a personal travel consultant.
• China Group Tours Small group tours for 2-8 travelers with selected fixed itineraries, shared transportation, and English-speaking guides.
• Visa-Free Tours Tour packages structured around China's 10-day visa-free transit and 30-day visa-free entry policies for eligible nationalities.
• Yangtze River Cruise Tours Yangtze River cruise packages with 3-star to 5-star cruise options and shore excursions to scenic spots such as the Three Gorges, combined with land tours to major Chinese cities.
• Family Tours Themed tour packages for families with children featuring kid-friendly activities, age-appropriate pacing, and accommodations suitable for all ages.
• Senior Tours Tours designed for senior travelers, including those over 55 and 75, with cultural experiences, comfortable pacing, and accommodations suited to older travelers' needs.
• China Food Tours Culinary-focused tours featuring regional Chinese cuisine, cooking classes, food markets, and specialty dining experiences in destinations such as Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, and Xi'an.
• Silk Road Tours Historical tours tracing the ancient Silk Road through Xi'an, Dunhuang, Kashgar, Turpan, and Urumqi, visiting sites such as the Mogao Grottoes, Jiayuguan Pass, and traditional Uyghur villages.
• Great Wall Tours Specialized tours of the Great Wall, including visits to sections such as Mutianyu, Badaling, Jinshanling, Simatai, and Jiankou with hiking and sightseeing options.
• Photography Tours Tours designed for photography enthusiasts, focusing on scenic destinations including Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Huangshan, and rural landscapes, with flexible schedules for lighting conditions.
• Adventure Tours Off-the-beaten-path tours exploring remote destinations, minority villages, and adventurous locations across China, including Yunnan, Guizhou, Xinjiang, and Tibet.
• Student Travel Tours Educational and budget-friendly tour packages for students featuring historical sites, cultural experiences, and affordable accommodations.
• Flight Booking Service Service arranging international and China domestic flights to and from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, and other Asian destinations as part of tour packages.
• Tour Guide & Driver Service Professional licensed English-speaking tour guides and private transportation with experienced drivers available 24/7 across all destinations, adhering to defined quality standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.5% of customers award 5-star rating
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• TrustpilotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustomer review platform for verified reviews. Privacy policy indicates use for sending customer review invitations and displaying customer feedback.
• FeefominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustomer review platform for verified reviews. Privacy policy indicates use for sending customer review invitations and displaying customer feedback.
• TripAdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel review platform where customer reviews are collected and displayed.
• ProductReview.com.auminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAustralian consumer review platform for displaying customer feedback.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wild China: Wild China is a longstanding private/bespoke China tour operator founded by Chinese-American guides. Directly comparable on bespoke itineraries, themed tours, and Western-customer inbound China focus.
• China Highlights: China Highlights operates private and small-group China tours with custom itineraries and 1-to-1 travel advisors. Highly comparable on product mix, customer base, and custom-quote pricing model.
• Wendy Wu Tours: Wendy Wu Tours is a China-specialist tour operator offering fully escorted group tours and private tours to China and the Yangtze. Directly comparable on China focus, themed tours, and cruise-plus-land itineraries.
• China Discovery: China Discovery designs customizable private China tours covering similar cities (Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Zhangjiajie). Comparable on tailored itineraries, themed tour categories, and Western inbound market.
• Audley Travel: Audley Travel is a bespoke private travel company employing country-specialist travel consultants, including a dedicated China team. Comparable on 1-to-1 consultant model, premium positioning, and private-tour packaging.
• Kensington Tours: Kensington Tours is a luxury private-tour operator offering customizable itineraries in China alongside global destinations. Comparable on bespoke private tours, dedicated travel consultants, and premium pricing structure.

Broad incumbents

• Intrepid Travel: Intrepid Travel is a global small-group adventure tour operator with a substantial China itinerary portfolio. Comparable on themed tour categories and small-group/premium positioning, but broader geographically and not focused solely on private tours.
• Trip.com Group: Trip.com (formerly Ctrip) is Asia's largest online travel agency, packaging China tours, hotels, and flights at scale. Overlaps with China Odyssey on itinerary packaging and target customer, but is platform-led rather than bespoke-consultant-led.
• CITS (China International Travel Service): CITS is China's largest state-owned travel agency, offering inbound and outbound tours across China. Overlaps on inbound China tourism but at vastly larger scale and with a more standardized product mix than China Odyssey's bespoke offering.
• TourRadar: TourRadar is an online marketplace aggregating multi-day tours including China itineraries. Overlaps on China tour discovery and booking, but operates as a marketplace rather than a dedicated tour operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about China Odyssey Tours