Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce books trip to China

The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce encourages visitors to explore the island and all it has to offer from the beaches to the restaurants.

Now, the chamber is encouraging its members to explore new territory.

From Oct. 1 to Oct. 9, Chamber of Commerce members will have the opportunity to explore China. The chamber is partnering with Citslinc International Inc. for an all-inclusive tour of Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai for $2,099 a person. Non-chamber members can go on the trip for an extra $100.

Chamber President Gail Loefgren went on the trip last year with the same company and said it was a wonderful experience.

“Because it’s so inexpensive, and China is such an interesting country, I thought it would be great to offer [it to] the chamber at this price,” she said.

There is no limit on how many people can go. The trip won’t just be made of chamber members, though Longboat travelers will be grouped together.

On her trip, Loefgren visited the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City along with gardens, embroidery, silk and pearl factories, and various other tourist spots.

“Well, I hope they get out of the trip what I got out of the trip, which is a new picture of the Chinese people,” she said. “I think the Chinese people are wonderful, and they love Americans. So you come back with this feeling that if the governments could just get along, the world would be a much better place because the people like each other.”

The $2,099 includes round-trip airfare from John F. Kennedy International Airport, four- and five-star hotel accommodations, three meals a day, all tour fees, in-country ground transportation and local airfare, English-speaking guides, all taxes and airport fees and entrance fees for attractions. 

The prices are based on two-person shared accommodations, but single occupancy is available for an additional $500. Travelers can also attend a side trip to Xi’an, site of the Terra Cotta Warriors, for an additional $200. 

The deadline for registration is July 15. For information, call 383-2466.

This article has been updated to show the specific dates of the trip to China. The trip will run from Oct. 1 to Oct. 9.