Alberta Delivers Experiences to Match Its Mountains

Alberta tourism is no longer just about stunning mountain scenery. History, culture, train travel, adventure and experiences with a multigenerational twist are figuring prominently in new Alberta tour programs.

“Our icons are Banff and Jasper national parks and Lake Louise –people know us for that, so we lead with that,” said Bart Donnelly, director of Travel Trade, Canada and the U.S. for Travel Alberta. “But we have lots of history and culture including the First Nations [Canada’s aboriginal peoples] and the Calgary Stampede [annual rodeo and festival]. We have a vast landscape and a vast number of experiences.”

Tour operators are increasingly incorporating Alberta’s unique attributes into their programs. In many cases Alberta has long been a part of their programs while itineraries are routinely reviewed to add new experiences.

Tauck programs evolves
Tapping into the family/multigenerational trend, Tauck has developed an Alberta itinerary for Tauck Bridges, its family travel brand. Tauck, in the Alberta market since 1963,  also offers three itineraries in the province under Tauck World Discovery, its classic brand.

The Bridges brand is growing and Alberta is a great destination for families, according to Joanne Gardner, business manager for worldwide land products

“There’s a lot of opportunities to be outdoors and active and kids have a lot of energy,” Gardner said. “The itinerary is also appealing for families in that we stay two nights at the Jasper Park Lodge where there’s hiking, biking and canoeing and a summer resort activity card that allows families to do any activity.

“Our [Alberta] tour product has evolved,” Gardner said, adding that Tauck has incorporated “local, authentic and educational experiences” to its Alberta programs including meeting a Mountie, musical performances in Banff and glacier riding.

Train travel is also a growing trend involving “the nostalgia of spending a night on a train,” Gardner said.

Tauck’s Grand Canadian Rockies tour features an overnight trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Jasper National Park aboard VIA Rail’s historic Canadian train.

Collette adds elements
Collette Vacations has been offering Alberta since the late 1970s: four itineraries under its Collette Classic Touring and one in its Family Vacations program.

Collette’s Canadian Rockies by Train features a Vancouver to Jasper overnight aboard VIA Rail’s Canadian. Its Canadian Rockies Family Discovery tour includes six nights in Banff, an easier trip for families because they unpack only once, said Bethany Manchester, product manager for Canada.

“Alberta was top of the list,” when Collette was developing its family program, launched five years ago, she said.

Nearly every year Collette tweaks its Alberta programs, “adding elements for clients to get connected with the destination,” including culinary experiences and visits to old mining towns, Manchester said.

Trafalgar’s experiential focus
Trafalgar is also delving into Alberta’s cultural side.

“Our personalized insider experience is really what we are focusing on,’ said Gavin Tollman, Trafalgar’s CEO. “Alberta is a scenic beauty; it’s one of those places you have to see to believe. But number two is the destination’s cultural experiences.”

In  response to clients’ search for authentic experiences, the tour operator offers its Insider Experiences which include  meetings with locals and sharing a destination’s traditions.

 “We’re looking at what we run now [to Alberta] to see how we can deliver on every itinerary a more powerful Insider Experience, in terms of local experts, sightseeing and meals,” he said.

Trafalgar has also incorporated Alberta programs in its At Leisure series tours which feature longer stays of two to three nights on average, ample free time and no departures earlier than 9 a.m. on most travel days.

“Most of Trafalgar’s Alberta itineraries include one to two nights in Calgary, two nights in Jasper and three nights in Banff along with a day trip on the Rocky Mountaineer train from Banff to Kamloops,” Tolman said. “At Leisure builds in the balance between things you want to see and things you want to discover on your own.”

Globus sets longer stays
Globus, which currently offers 18 programs to Alberta and Western Canada across its three brands, recently added a rail component on the VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains to all three brands.

Globus’ Spirit of the Rockies program, for example, includes a two-day rail journey aboard the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver through Kamloops and over the Continental Divide to Banff National Park.

“We have evolved beyond the scenic to include longer stays in the resort towns and experiential features we offer with Local Favorites,” said Steve Born, vice president of marketing.

Local Favorites offer unique experiences tied to each destination and these are “a big part of our Western Canada program,” Born said.

Examples include a tour of the Fairmont Banff Springs with a wine tasting and attendance at a White Hat Ceremony, a Calgary tradition that welcomes visiting dignitaries with Western Canadian hospitality.

“We’re always looking at adding new products [in Western Canada],” Born said. “We’ve discussed combining some well known destinations with off-the-beaten path destinations. And that might be across the board for Globus’ three brands.”