Once-in-a-decade opportunity to experience flower spectacle

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

28 September 2011

Lucky travellers get once-in-a-decade opportunity to experience flower spectacular

As spring has sprung in New Zealand, a dozen Kiwis are looking forward to Northern Hemisphere spring when they’ll visit Floriade 2012 in Holland – an opportunity that only rolls around once every decade.

There are several spaces left for others to join those already confirmed for the trip.

Floriade is one of the world’s most spectacular horticultural shows. The enormity of the event is the reason why it’s only held once every ten years. Calder & Lawson Tours is one of only a few tour companies in New Zealand offering 30 lucky travellers the opportunity to experience the event, departing on 3 May 2012.

“Floriade is renowned globally as a multicultural, horticultural event that showcases many different cultures, customs and rituals all within the background of beautiful plants, trees, art, music and more. To say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime visual feast is no exaggeration,” says John Paviour-Smith, tour escort.

John Paviour-Smith is an experienced tour leader, having escorted nearly 20 tours around the world for Calder & Lawson Tours. He has personally visited sites included on Floriade escorted holiday.

Calder & Lawson Tours’ Floriade 2012 escorted holiday trip is part of the company’s unique ‘travel and learn’ tours. The company launched its travel and learn tours – the only such tour experiences offered in New Zealand - in 1990 in association with the University of Waikato. Since that time, Calder & Lawson Tours has further developed the University's original concept to ensure travelers learn in situ on every holiday.

John says travellers looking to book the holiday should not expect it to be exclusively about garden tours. The escorted holiday has been planned to inspire guests through nature and art in a variety of settings.

“In addition to taking in Floriade, our guests will be escorted to places such as the Van Gogh Museum and the FloraHolland Aalsmeer, where around 20 million flowers are auctioned every day. Also in Holland, we’ll experience some of the world’s most amazing tulip gardens where there are thousands of heirloom beds.

“Then, while in England, we’ll be visiting places such as Sissinghurst Castle, the Botanical Gardens at Kew and the 400 year old Lost Gardens of Heligan.

“Plus, we’ll visit some spectacular sites and museums in Bath and Oxford, as well as Christchurch College, the scene of the filming of the Harry Potter movies,” explains John.

Spaces on the Floriade 2012 tour still remain. The 18-day tour of Holland and England includes a full day at the Floriade event, with the option to return on a day of leisure.

The cost is $14,970 per person. Calder & Lawson Tours has extended it early bird deadline one month to 30 October – if booked by this date, a $200 discount applies. Information can be found at www.calderandlawsontours.co.nz.

-ENDS-

© Scoop Media