Wendy Wu: how travel expands your mind and "makes you sexy!"

Wendy doesn't just want you to see things. She says the difference with her company is that she wants you to experience things.

She will be explaining all when she offers Wendy Wu – A Journey Through Culture and Tradition on Wednesday, April 16 from 5.30pm-7.30pm at The Novium Museum, Chichester, PO19 1QH, a chance to join the specialist team from Fred Olsen Travel Agents, Chichester, for a unique behind-the-scenes event including a talk from Wendy, one of the most influential figures in the travel industry. Free tickets (which must be booked in advance) are available on 01243 213104 or from Fred Olsen Travel Agents, 65 South Street, Chichester, PO19 1EE. If anyone can’t get to the event because it is full, which could well happen, they can meet a Wendy Wu representative by appointment on May 20. Again phone to book an appointment or drop in.

For her talk, Wendy will be drawing on her years of experience. Over the decades, Wendy has created an impressive tours portfolio which is continuously growing. She has also helped to make countries such as China and more recently Japan increasingly accessible and immersive to travellers.

The strange thing is that it all happened by accident.

“I was living in Australia at the time and I arranged a big holiday for myself. I am Chinese. And I knew that I wanted to go to places that were hidden gems. It was going to be a 28-day holiday for me and my partner visiting some incredible places.”

But then Wendy's partner couldn't go. Wendy tried to get refunds but couldn't. But then she had a brain wave: “I decided to put a personal ad in the newspaper and say that I had this itinerary and did anyone want to come with me. I had already arranged it all. I said that I would pay half and they would pay the other half and get a guide for free. And I had lots of responses. So many people called and said they wanted to go to China with me and that they liked my itinerary. But in the end nobody could go. I realised nobody could get a visa in time so I did go by myself.

“But by then I knew all these people who wanted to travel. And so when I took the first group of people, I took 16 people and these people became my customers and they did 100 trips. We did one and then did another and we went to all sorts of places.”

The point is as Wendy says, travel is amazing. It enrichens your experience and it expands your knowledge: “And it is also very sexy!”

Wendy cites her Japan tour for instance where you go to all sorts of great places but you also get the chance to see special Washi paper: “It is one of the finest, most delicate papers and afterwards people talk to their friends about how excited they are about this beautiful paper. They are so concentrated. They are like schoolboys again and like schoolgirls again. And their eyes light up. And when I see them, I said ‘Gosh, you look so sexy and alive!’”

Similarly with the naked bathing in Japan, very much tradition but one which some people baulk at. But those people who do enter into the experience, experience something really special and sense real freedom: “And again they feel so good that they feel really sexy and alive again!”