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Trust / Process

How LocalKey Designs Your China Trip

From conversation to travel, in 4 steps. The process is built to keep the trip commercially clear, operationally realistic, and reviewed by a person before anything is confirmed.

Step 1

Contact

Submit a travel brief through LocalKey. A specialist reviews the route, timing, group, and trip fit, then replies with the next useful step.

  • Travel brief or inquiry form
  • Specialist first reply
  • Free consultation call when appropriate

Step 2

Design

A LocalKey specialist turns the brief into a route and proposal. The working target is a 3-7 day turnaround depending on trip complexity, supplier checks, hotel availability, and whether special access is involved.

  • Day-by-day itinerary
  • Hotel, transport, guide, and activity suggestions
  • Practical notes for visa, payments, rail, and pacing

Step 3

Deposit

Once you approve the proposal, LocalKey issues the invoice and deposit request. A 20% non-refundable deposit secures the booking and starts supplier confirmation. See full deposit and balance terms in our booking conditions.

  • Proposal accepted
  • 20% non-refundable deposit via Stripe
  • Final confirmation work begins

Step 4

Travel

Before departure, you receive final documents and support contacts. During the trip, LocalKey support is coordinated through the consultant workflow and local supplier network as confirmed in your proposal.

  • Itinerary PDF and final documents
  • Visa support letter where applicable
  • On-ground contact path and post-trip follow-up

Scope of service

What we handle vs what you handle.

AspectLocalKey handlesYou handle
Trip design + itinerary
Hotel booking + payment
Domestic transport (rail + private car)
Activity booking (museums + experiences)
English-speaking guide
24/7 on-ground support during travel
Visa support letter
International flights to/from China
Travel insurance
Passport + visa application
Personal spending (shopping, optional meals)
Daily decisions during free time

Common questions

Frequently asked before booking.

How long does the design process take?

The target is 3–7 business days from the initial brief, depending on trip complexity, hotel availability, and whether specialist access is involved. Longer multi-city routes may take a few days more.

Can I modify the proposal after the initial design?

Yes. The design process is iterative. You can revise the route, swap hotels, adjust pacing, or shift the balance between guided and independent days. Significant scope changes may extend the timeline before final confirmation.

Do you design trips for solo travelers?

Yes. Solo travelers are a regular request. Hotels, guide days, and transfers are sized and priced for one person. The pace can be calibrated to how an individual traveler moves.

What trip lengths do you typically design?

Most tailor-made trips run 7–21 days. Shorter trips of 4–6 days are possible when the scope is contained. We do not take single-day bookings as standalone design projects.

What if the proposal doesn't fit my budget?

Send a revised ceiling and we rebuild around it. We will be direct if the proposed trip quality cannot hold at a given number — we do not strip out components silently to appear cheaper.

Is the deposit refundable?

In most cases, the deposit becomes non-refundable once supplier confirmations are made on your behalf. The full cancellation policy is at localkeytravel.com/booking-conditions.

When is the balance due?

The balance is due 60 days before departure unless your proposal says otherwise. Trips booked within 60 days may require full payment at confirmation.

See full deposit and balance terms in our booking conditions.
What if something goes wrong during my trip?

Your trip designer is reachable by WhatsApp and WeChat throughout the trip. For on-ground emergencies in China, a local contact path is provided before departure. Full emergency contact details are in your final documents.

Will I have a dedicated guide for the whole trip?

Guided days are confirmed per destination in your proposal. Some cities include a full-day guide; others a half-day or arrival guide. The arrangement is specified clearly before deposit so you know what is covered.

How do you handle language barriers?

English-speaking guides are included for all guided days. For specialist routes involving rural or ethnic minority areas, bilingual local guides are paired with our English-speaking coordinator. Your final documents also include Chinese-character cards for taxis, restaurants, and hotels.

What if my flight is delayed and I miss day 1?

Itineraries include buffer time wherever the transfer logic allows. If a delay affects day 1 arrangements, the local contact path handles rebooking. This is one reason we recommend travel insurance that covers trip disruption.

Do you book international flights?

No. International flights are your responsibility to book independently. We can advise on routing logic and arrival airports that work with your itinerary, but we do not hold or issue air tickets.

Do I need a visa?

Most international travelers need a visa to enter China, though visa-free access has expanded for certain nationalities in 2024–2025. We provide a support letter for your visa application and advise on current entry requirements, but the application itself is your responsibility.

What about travel insurance?

We do not sell travel insurance, but we recommend all clients hold a policy covering trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and trip disruption. We provide the trip cost breakdown needed for your insurance claim.

What we do not claim

Trust comes from being specific about the stage LocalKey is actually in.

LocalKey is a new China specialist travel brand under 1010 Holdings, not a company claiming decades of packaged-tour history.

We do not claim AITO, ATOL, ABTOT, ASTA, or similar association protection unless registration is actually completed.

We do not claim a global office network. We build the China trip through specialist planning, consultant review, and confirmed local suppliers.

Start Planning

Send the brief when you want a specialist to shape the route.

Contact us

Plan a trip with a specialist.

Tell us a bit about your China trip. A consultant will reply within 24 hours.