The Travel & Learn Experience Ltd

The Travel & Learn Experience Ltd brings about 200 people to New Zealand annually for educational tours.

History of the Company

The company was established as a result of requests made to Douglas Walker to devise and deliver educational tours subsequent to his taking early retirement from Victoria University of Wellington. Initially these were outbound tours to Southern Africa. These have developed further into two alternative itineraries through South Africa, as well as programmes on literary Britain and a very popular programme into New Zealand.

Activities

The company concentrates on devising and delivering educational tours to the mature age traveller, where possible in groups of 20 or fewer participants. There is a strong concentration on quality control, effective delivery of the learning component by talented adult educators (most from the universities), and exciting and unusual activities designed to illuminate the traveller's experience of the country well beyond that normally associated with a couch tour.

These travellers are usually well-educated, extremely well travelled and very responsive to the idea of a comprehensive programme examining literature, art, music, indigenous craft and culture, politics and economics, meeting local people in their homes.

There are no surprises for participants; they do not have to pay extra for any meals, excursions or extra-curricular activities.

The Director has a very much hands-on approach and travels with each group as course co-ordinator or study leader. Part-time staff are recruited when necessary and are characterised by their zest and experience of this sort of tour, their specialist subject knowledge (eg literature, vulcanology, hoticulture) and their talents as adult educators.

The steady growth of the company over the past five years has largely been the result of word-of-mouth recommendations - for example, at least 25 people have travelled with the company on three or more separate international programmes.

Company Directors

Douglas Walker, Megan M F Walker
PO Box 1701, Paraparaumu Beach

email: douglas.walker@clear.net.nz

phone +64 4 298 9118 Fax: +64 4 298 9113