FutureNow Tour
One Week Future Tech Immersion
Live in the future before it arrives. Code self-driving cars in Shanghai, then ride them in Hangzhou.
From Classroom to Innovation Room
Give your child a transformative journey into the heart of global innovation. This exclusive 6-day trip to Shanghai and Hangzhou immerses students and parents in China’s cutting-edge technologies—from AI and robotics to smart cities. While their peers remain complacent with local advancements, your child will witness firsthand how China is redefining the future. This isn’t just a trip—it’s a career-shaping experience that will really open their eyes, ignite their passion for STEM, revolutionise their understanding of where the future is heading, and give them an unbeatable edge in tomorrow’s tech-driven world.
Why This Tour
See Tomorrow’s Tech Today
Explore labs, factories, and innovation hubs where AI, autonomous vehicles, and robotics are already revolutionizing daily life. Unlike anything available in Australasia, these technologies will inspire students to think bigger and aim higher.
Learn from Global Leaders
Exclusive access to companies shaping the future (e.g., Alibaba’s AI labs, smart logistics giants, and space-tech pioneers). These behind-the-scenes tours are unavailable to the public and designed to spark career curiosity.
Build a Competitive Mindset
While many students cling to outdated notions of “Western tech dominance,” your child will return with a reality check: China’s innovations set the global standard. This urgency to adapt and learn will fuel their academic and professional drive.
More Valuable Than a Gap Year
Forget backpacking—this trip combines travel with strategic exposure. Students gain hands-on workshops (e.g., coding autonomous systems, smart city design challenges) that universities and employers value.
Shanghai – World AI Conference (WAIC)
Step into the epicenter of global innovation by attending the prestigious World AI Conference in Shanghai!
Shanghai → Hangzhou via High-Speed Rail
Ride the future at 350 km/h!
Visit Hangzhou West Station—China’s most advanced train station.
Stay: a fully automated hotel
Hangzhou – Smart Living & AI Innovation
See tomorrow’s lifestyle today!
- Experience the futuristic shopping concept at Hema Fresh.
- Visit Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City.
- Tour BrainCo and the China (Hangzhou) AI Town to see pioneering work in artificial intelligence and robotics.
City Brain & Cloud Innovation
How data governs a megacity!
- Visit Yunqi Town Exhibition Hall and the City Brain base, where big data is used to alleviate urban congestion.
- Explore Alibaba Cloud Valley and discover the latest developments in cloud computing and digital innovation.
Robotics & Automation
Where machines meet intelligence!
- Explore the Robot Exhibition Center at Xiaoshan Robot Town, featuring state-of-the-art robotics and automation.
- Visit the Hikvision exhibition hall to see cutting-edge surveillance and security technologies
Harmony of Tech & Nature
A glimpse of harmony!
- Stroll around the iconic West Lake.
- Visit Huawei HarmonyOS Smart Home Future House to see a vision of connected living.
- Experience Baidu Apollo’s unmanned driving demonstration.
Flight Home
Depart from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport and arrive at Auckland/Sydney.
Options
Choose The Best Plan For Your Family
FutureNow Tour
6-Day Tour
$2149
Normally $2349
Ideal for family members not attending the coding academy
FutureNow Tour + FutureDrive Academy
14-Day Combo
$4580
Normally $5598
Everything in FutureNow Tour and FutureDrive Academy Plus
Fequently Asked Questions
Yes, especially in Shanghai and Hangzhou. It is also super convenient once you have done some basic setup.
We will only charge a flat fee of $49 for handling that for you. Otherwise, you or your child are more than welcome to self-arrange the flights. For this FutureNow Tour, your hotel stay starts on the eve of the Tour. For Combo (FutureNow Tour + FutureDrive Academy) buyers, your hotel stay starts on the eve of the FutureDrive Academy (which is one week prior to the FutureNow Tour).
Simply inform the airline that your child will be traveling as an unaccompanied minor. No visa needed for NZ/AUS passport holders. Airport pickup in Shanghai is available for $150, and drop-off service to Hangzhou airport is available for $100. Otherwise, simply grab a taxi to the hotel prepared for you and/or your child and we will meet you there. For Combo (FutureNow Tour + FutureDrive Academy) buyers, airport pick up and drop off are complementary.
We will pick China Eastern MU 780 for the flight from Auckland to Shanghai (direct flight), and China Eastern MU 711 for the flight from Hangzhou to Auckland. The price roughly ranges from $1400 to $2200 and I will refund you or charge you more according to the actual cost.
Feel free to explore Shanghai or surrounding areas while your child is busy attending the FutureDrive Academy in the first week. If you want, we can help book a room for you in the same hotel where your child stays for the coding academy, or you can choose to join us later in the FutureNow Tour.
After you've successfully made the payment, you will shortly receive a confirmation email acknowledging your payment. Following this confirmation, we'll contact you via email to gather more details about you and your child. This information helps us ensure the tour experience is appropriately tailored to your child's interests and needs. Once we have these details, we will discuss any specific preparations required to make the tour/camp a rewarding and enjoyable experience for you and your child.
We recommend using WeChat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ujNWDm7LqQ) or Alipay (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GyGbYCJ0yUQ). They will make your life a breeze in China. No one carries cash in China.
For NZ/AU passport holders:
✓ Visa-free entry is available for stays up to 30 days (per Dcember 2024 policy).
✓ For stays longer than 30 days, please apply for an L-type tourist visa in advance.
It is recommended that parents choose coverage based on their needs. A typical Southern Cross International Comprehensive Travel Insurance costs $95.50 with $250 excess. If only in-China coverage is needed, consider China Pacific Insurance Company’s “Baoyou Prestige Domestic Travel Insurance” at ¥85 for 7 days. Learn more
For Combo (FutureNow Tour + FutureDrive Academy) buyers, insurance is complementary.
A 24/7 bilingual (Chinese/English) emergency hotline is available at: +86 13916957209.
Yes, apart from parents attending the Tour, the Tour/Camp will also be led by a bilingual lead teacher with 20 years of NZ/AU experience.
Roommate assignments are made randomly (by gender) by default. If a parent is also attending the Tour, she/he can choose to share the hotel room with the child or by him/herself. If you wish to request a specific roommate, please indicate so on the detailed registration form after paymemt (both parties must agree). Single room upgrades are available for an additional $400 when requested at least 21 days before the Tour.
If you cancel at least 28 days before the camp starts, you will receive an 80% refund (an administrative fee may apply). Cancellations made within 14 days of the camp start date are non-refundable. Please review our full cancellation policy for details.
Original passports can be securely stored in the hotel safe by the lead teacher.
Discover the Future for the Next 10 Years
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