If you want to kick start next year with an inspiring holiday then the Meet the People Holidays offer plenty of choice and with dates and prices for 2012 already released and tours already being booked then now is the time to start looking!

When we start looking ahead to next year, it is Bangladesh that we always think of first. The inspiration for Traidcraft's founder and still right at the heart of Traidcraft today. Bangladesh is still quite undiscovered as a tourist destination but  to us, that makes it all the more appealing.

Despite the wonderful scenery and captivating rural life we expereince on the tour, the highlights of this tour are without doubt the visits to producer groups. There are too many wonderful visits for us to pick our favourite but certainly one of the most interesting parts of the tour is seeing the Traidcraft's embroidered cards at different stages of their production. We all know the beautiful cards that come from Bangladesh - both from Traidcraft's Catalogue and those that we buy from Fairtraders throughout the UK. However, it is seeing the paper being made at Bonoul, meeting the people who print the text at Saidpur Enterprises, seeing the intricate embroidered designs being created at Swajan and putting names and faces to all of the people in the stages of this fair trade production that is where we find inspiration.



Brian from Traidcraft and Lizzie from Skedaddle have both visited Bangladesh on our tour and have written a few words here about their experiences. 

Click here for Brian's story
Click here for Lizzie's story

Do call us if you want more information - we have started to take bookings on the tour so if you are interested please call us to check availability.

2012 Programme

As well as Bangladesh, there are of course lots of other places to visit and people to meet! Below you can find a few more of our winter and spring tours, or you can click here to see the whole 2012 programme.

Western India - 04 to 19 February 2012 
Another favourite, visiting some spectacular areas of India and producers who have been working with Traidcraft for nearly 30 years.

Western India is famous for its textiles, crafts, and cultural and social diversity. This tour takes us through the states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat and has a strong textile flavour. Along our way we visit embroiderers, weavers and organic cotton farmers and finish with a sunset visit to the Taj Mahal. Despite some incredible visits, you can't fail to be inspired by a visit to St Mary's which for many remains the highlight of their tour.
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Costa Rica and Nicaragua - 25 February to 10 March 2012
Our last two tours to Costa Rica and Nicaragua have been completely sold out but there is still space next year if you are quick.

Starting in Costa Rica we enjoy visits to Fairtrade pineapple and sugar farners and then venture north into Nicaragua where we visit the coast and historical cities before a visit to coffee producers supplying Cafédirect. Throughout our journey we meet farmers and those involved in the management of the cooperatives to fully understand the benefits of Fairtrade in the communities.
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Chile - 12 to 22 March 2012
After spending 9 months travelling in Chile, this is definitely Paul's favourite trip and after seeing through the UK winter a bit of honey and wine could be what you are looking for!

From Santiago we follow the Pan-American Highway south, stopping along the way to enjoy the best of Chilean culture and some fascinating Fairtrade projects. We begin in Santiago before moving on to wine with Lautaro, community projects and a lesson about Mapuche culture and as we near Chile's Lake District we pay a visit to the legendary Chino, president of Apicoop to learn about their honey and new blueberry project. 
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Cuba - 01 to 15 April 2012
Join us on one of our 2 week journeys visting Fairtrade Cooperatives, renewable energy farms, permaculture projects and in enjoying the stunning natural beauty and vibrant culture of the island.

Throughout our trip we stay in a variety of accommodation from small hotels and rural guesthouses to nights with families in casa particulares. Our guides are keen to show you the best that Cuba has to offer and whether it is swimming in waterfalls or trying a bit of salsa dancing with the locals, we are sure you will come back full memories of favourite moments. 
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Sri Lanka - 14 to 29 February 2012
Sri Lanka is a small country but rich in everything from culture to wildlife. Join us to visit craft and tea producers and enjoy all the delights that Sri Lanka has to offer.

We travel from Colombo to Dambulla, and then onto Kandy and Nuwara Eliya visiting amazing ancient cities and temples and through some of Sri Lanka’s most varied and scenic locations. En route to Nuwara Eliya, the heart of the tea region, we visit a tea estate and meet some of the farmers who work there. We also see wildlife, not least elephants, before our onward journey to Tangalle to see the work being done by Gospel House in the tsunami affected areas of the south-east coast.
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Last but not least... If you can't wait for 2012 we still have availability on some fabulous tours this autumn. The latest availability for all 2011 tours can be found here, but as a taste, here are our three favourites:

Peru - 07 to 21 September 2011
A two week trip to the “Land of the Inkas” to visit craft producers and coffee farmers, stay with their families and experience life in the Andes.

From the capital Lima, we travel up into the Andes and to the famous wonder of the world, Machu Picchu. We visit coffee farmers in the cloud forest and ceramic potters in the villages around Cusco before taking the Orient Express train to Lake Titicaca. At Juliaca we see Alpaca fleece being spun and knitted into an array of beautiful garments before returning to Lima where we learn more about Allpa and make a visit to one of their workshops to see some of their silversmiths at work.
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India Highlights - 02 to 16 October 2011
Our longest running tour we visit 3 regions to see for ourselves just some of the variety that India has to offer. 

Starting in Delhi we visit craft producers and enjoy Agra's Taj Mahal and the spectacular Red Fort before heading south to the green state of Kerela. We explore the old port of Cochin, a strategic centre for spice trade for centuries and enjoy the beautiful canals and lagoons of the backwaters by hand-poled narrow boat. Set against the Ganges River and a backdrop of strong colonial architecture the strong Bengali culture make Kolkatta and a visit to Sasha the perfect final stop on our tour.
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South Africa - 11 to 23 November 2011
South Africa is a big and truly beautiful country with a unique history. This holiday explores the wide-open spaces, culture and history of the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of the country.

Visits to Fairtrade wine and fruit producers and a variety of other development projects help us to better understand life in this complex country. As the UK weather turns colder, South Africa's Western Cape is just entering summer so it's a lovely time to get a little winter warmth. As well as enjoying the company of Fairtrade raisin and wine producers we see some of the sights of the Rainbow Nation including Cape Point and Table Mountain. 
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If you have any questions about any of our tours or if you want to check availability then please call Lizzie or Paul on 0191 2651110 or email us at traidcraft@skedaddle.co.uk