Agritour Tours

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Tours

AGRITOUR designs all types of tours to meet your particular requirements -
agricultural, horticultural, garden, forestry, rural and special-interest tours. We do not offer standard or scheduled tours within New Zealand - each programme is specially tailored. AGRITOUR does initiate tours for New Zealand farmers to travel overseas based on our extensive knowledge of our own industries and the international scene.

The scope and depth of AGRITOUR'S tours are illustrated here by the outlines of some of our programmes.

The success of AGRITOUR'S tours is proven by what our clients have to say. We quote from overseas tour co-ordinators, group participants and individuals; along with New Zealand farmers who have travelled overseas with AGRITOUR.

Growing Grass - Feeding Grass - Grazing Management Tour

9 days in the North Island:	seminars on grazing management with an international consultant, and on producing beef from grass with a research scientist; visits to research stations, efficient dairy, sheep and beef, and young-stock rearing farms; attend a cattle sale, and tour a butcher's shop; visit farm supply stores; a day at leisure trout fishing, jet boating, shopping and sightseeing.
8 days in the South Island:	irrigation on high-producing dairy farms, a spectacular train journey across the Southern Alps, two nights with farm families discussing management on high-country sheep and beef farms, a day's sightseeing.

The group of 34 came in January, travelled by touring coach, plane and rail and stayed in motels and on farms.

"We can always count on AGRITOUR to handle every detail in the most professional manner, but in a personal, friendly way which makes us look good to our tour participants. Tour escorts and drivers are knowledgeable, friendly and willing to go the extra mile. AGRITOUR listens to, and respects, our specific requests and we visit top-notch farms so our participants get hands-on production knowledge that they can take home and apply to their own grass-farming operations.
We wouldn't even consider taking an agricultural tour of New Zealand with any other company."
Carolyn Nation, Tour Co-ordinator,
The Stockman GrassFarmer, Jackson MS, USA

Forestry Study Tour

A Chilean forest owners and processors co-operative group came to New Zealand to study and compare genetics and production systems and methods, and to establish contacts with the New Zealand industry.

The 12-day April tour focused on Pinus radiata with some interest in eucalypts and Tasmanian hardwood. They visited research institutes, nurseries and agro-forestry research sites meeting with scientists. They visited commercial production forests (saw logs and pulp for local and export production) and had discussions with the forest managers and private consultants. They participated in the Farm Forestry Association Annual Conference and Field Days. They visited farms which were predominantly agro-forestry and beef and sheep farms. Throughout the tour opportunities were provided for other interest visits along with tourist and relaxation activities (eg visits to kiwifruit orchard, trout hatchery, and vineyard and winery, and a Maori hangi and shopping). An AGRITOUR technically qualified escort was with the group, they travelled by touring coach and plane throughout both Islands of New Zealand and stayed in hotels and motels.

Tour to Study New Zealand's Economic and State-sector Reforms

11 days in the North Island: addresses from past and present government ministers and other politicians, senior civil servants, State and university economists, agricultural Producer Boards, Port Authorities, Federated Farmers, Bankers;
telecommunication, postal officials, and trade union officials;
visits to universities, research centres, farms, orchards and agribusinesses;
sightseeing.

The group of 12 came in April, travelled in a touring coach, stayed in hotels and had an AGRITOUR escort throughout. This group comprised Latvians, Moldovans, Lithuanians and Estonians along with World Bank officials.

"We have used AGRITOUR as our tour operator, organiser, and co-ordinator for all our visits of the last few years. As Manager of these study tours I have been extremely satisfied with the performance of AGRITOUR; their level of professional competence is unmatched, they have excellent contacts with government, farmers, farm organisations, and agribusinesses. They are highly competent at co-ordinating complex meetings and scheduling. As a Costa Rican Minister noted "the operation was run with the precision of a Swiss watch". I strongly recommend their services."
Dr Malcolm Bale, Principal Economist,
The World Bank, Washington D.C.

Apple Growing and Research & Winemaking Technical Tour

8 days in the North Island:

touring orchards, packhouses, coolstores, rootstock nurseries, vineyards, and wineries;
discussing research with scientists;
a day's sightseeing, and a day at leisure.

The group of 22 came in May and, with a technically qualified AGRITOUR escort, travelled by touring coach and stayed in hotels and motels.

Holiday & Sightseeing Tour for Two

They asked for "A peaceful holiday seeing the best of New Zealand with some farmstay accommodation so we can meet the locals and understand the New Zealand way of life."
They came in February, travelled by rental car throughout the North and South Islands for 4 weeks and said

"It was the vacation of a lifetime ...a wonderful, wonderful trip .. and thank you very much for all the arrangements you made and the great schedule you worked out."
Dr Peggy Kerr,
Carbondale IL, USA

Grazing Management Tour for Two

They asked for "A practical hands-on tour, staying with outstanding grassland managers so we grasp the principles and techniques of pastoral farming."
They came in November for 18 days, travelled by rental car and said

"We were ecstatic over the trip whose plans were entirely in your hands. You not only provided us with the smoothest and best planned trip we have ever enjoyed but you placed us with incredibly well-informed progressive farmers who were a joy to be with."
R. Philip Haines Jr,
Winston-Salem NC, USA

New Zealand Dairy Farmers International Technical Study Tours

AGRITOUR has taken a 76-strong group to the USA; a party of 53 to the UK, the Netherlands and France; 20 farmers and their husbands to Australia; 17 farmers and their wives to Canada and the USA; a group of 40 to ............

These tours of up to 4 weeks duration provided the opportunity for an in-depth study of dairy farming systems and methods in other leading dairying countries, and as such have been eligible for considerable tax deductibility. Sightseeing is not overlooked. The camaraderie developed amongst the group whilst on tour has lead to many lasting friendships.

"After travelling extensively with AGRITOUR we still look forward to the next tour. Why? Their efficient and smoothly run tours are an obvious result of attention to detail. The calibre of the technical visits is unsurpassed, offering and in depth look at all aspects of agriculture world wide - both practical and political (and time for leisure too). And as for value for money - well - we don't know how they do it!
Definitely number one in agri-travel! Where to next AGRITOUR?"
Earle & Shelagh Bragg
Te Puke, New Zealand

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