A China tour quote is only comparable when you know what it includes. Ask for the total payable price, the payment schedule and the cost of anything you must buy separately. A low headline price alone does not show that a seller is dishonest.
This checklist covers package tours and separately purchased travel services. A digital planning fee is a different product: it pays for the itinerary, not for the hotels, transport or tickets in that itinerary.
Start with the product and the total
Write down the exact dates, traveler count, room arrangement, city sequence and service type. Check whether the quote is for a guided package, individual bookings, or planning advice. Two quotes with different inclusions cannot be compared by their headline prices.
Ask the seller for a version you can save. The useful document names the provider, currency, taxes or service charges, included nights, transport legs and cancellation rules. An attractive landing page is not a substitute for this order-specific record.
Seven costs to clarify before paying
| Cost to check | Question to ask | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Activities and admissions | Which entrance tickets, cable cars, boat rides or optional excursions are included? Can I decline an optional activity? | Named attractions and the cost of each excluded activity. |
| Shopping and group routing | Are retail stops part of the itinerary? How long do they take? Does declining a purchase affect the trip? | Written itinerary, including planned shopping stops. |
| Tips and service charges | Is any tip or service payment compulsory under this quote? What amount and currency are payable? | The contractual amount, separate from voluntary tipping. |
| Room occupancy | Is this price per person sharing a room? What happens for a solo traveler or a family needing extra beds? | Room type, occupancy and any supplement. |
| Visa assistance | Does this include an official visa fee, an agent fee, or only document support? Does the provider guarantee nothing about approval? | Itemized fees and the relevant consulate requirements. |
| Payment and currency conversion | What currency will be charged? Does my card issuer add conversion or overseas fees? | Seller invoice and issuer fee schedule; they are different charges. |
| Insurance and exclusions | If insurance is mentioned, who is the insurer and what policy is supplied? What travel costs remain my responsibility? | Policy wording, eligibility, exclusions and separate travel budget. |
Compare a package with planning without mixing the prices
Illustrative calculation, not a customer case: a ten-day LOCLYX plan has a planning fee of 10 × $19.9 = $199. That amount does not pay for ten days of accommodation, rail travel, admission tickets or food. A package quote may include some of those purchases. Compare the complete expected spend and the service you want, not $199 against the package headline.
Make three columns: planning or agent fees, travel purchases already included, and travel purchases still to buy. Add each column once. Avoid counting a hotel twice because it appears both in a package and in your independent budget.
Build a separate China trip budget before deciding whether an apparent saving is real.
Send a short request for clarification
“Please confirm the total payable amount for our dates and traveler count, the included hotels and transport, all mandatory charges, optional activities, shopping stops, payment currency, and cancellation terms. Please also tell us which costs we will pay locally.”
If the reply changes the scope, ask for a revised quote. If a provider will not answer a material question, pause the purchase. That is a practical risk decision; it is not proof that every similar provider is fraudulent.
If an unexpected charge appears later
Compare it with the saved quote and order confirmation. Ask the provider to identify the clause authorizing it and to explain the amount. Save correspondence and receipts. For a disputed card payment, contact the card issuer about the applicable process and deadlines; eligibility for a refund depends on the facts and contract.
Understand cancellation and refund terms before escalation. Do not assume a package seller, an airline and a planning service share the same refund rules.
What the LOCLYX planning fee covers
LOCLYX is a China-based local team. We tailor a written travel plan to your dates, budget, interests, pace and practical constraints. The planning fee is $19.9 per travel day; flights, hotels, trains, tickets, meals and other travel purchases are paid separately. We provide planning only: we do not make reservations, supply ground services or act as your tour guide.
The initial plan is delivered within 48 hours of successful payment. Your outbound flight from home must be at least 48 hours away. Up to three revisions expire at the start of your home-origin departure date (earliest possible start if the departure country spans time zones; see your exact deadline in My LOCLYX). For cancellation, refund and revision conditions, read the published policy that applies to your order.
A plan helps connect transport per leg, Chinese addresses, costs, booking tasks, food choices and backup options. You retain control of bookings and payments. Compare the sample with pricing; use Plan My Trip when your travel brief is ready.
Sources and scope
Editorial review: October 12, 2026. Use the checklist to compare the written quote for your own trip. The ten-day calculation illustrates the planning fee; it is not a total travel budget. Consumer rights depend on the payment method, country and governing terms.
- CFPB: credit-card billing disputes — US consumer guidance; card and country-specific rights may differ
- LOCLYX Refund & Revision Policy — the governing LOCLYX order terms