SPECIALISTS Canada


TRAINING Get in


The Canada Specialist Programme (CSP) is one of the Canadian Tourism Commission’s key trade tools for learning. Its eight modules introduce the regions and attractions of Canada and the CSP provides access to training events, fam trips and much more


Dave Brammer TRAILFINDERS Becoming a CSP agent has taken Trailfinders agent Dave Brammer to the furthest-flung reaches of Canada. “I’ve been lucky enough to have


travelled to the furthest point west, Tofino on Vancouver Island, and the furthest point east, St John’s in Newfoundland,” says Dave. "Being a Canadian Specialist gives you the ability to sell with confidence, but there’s nothing better than first-hand experience of a destination, which is why to me fams are the most important part of being a CSP. " Dave says he has lost count of the


number of times that his clients have thanked him for his frst-hand Vancouver recommendations. “The city is regularly voted as one of


the world’s top places to live and it doesn’t take long to see why: highlights include Stanley Park, Gastown, Granville Island and the Capilano


Suspension Bridge. My favourite memory is of Tofino, with its stunning unspoilt beaches and great wildlife- spotting opportunities. "The owner of the hotel we stayed at was a feisty old lady in her mid-70s who had recently given up running a fishing trawler.


"She pointed us in the direction of a


forest and we scrambled through the clearing to a babbling stream. "There, just 50 feet away, we saw a


female bear with her cub, scooping out Pacific salmon as it was heading back to its spawning ground.” In St John’s, Newfoundland, Dave


found a remarkable, quaintly Celtic town with strong Irish influences. “George Street on a Saturday night is buzzing with a fantastic atmosphere and great live music blaring out of all the bars and restaurants,” he says. But its not all about first-hand experience. “Canadian travel professionals are justifiably proud of


their country and their enthusiasm passed on through events, webinars and training programmes is infectious – it’s only right that I help spread the word to clients!” “The webinars, run by the CTC's


Roger Harris, are a great way to learn more about a specific region and I always try to catch them when I can. "And Canada Shared, the CTC’s


annual Signature Experience event in London, is a great way to catch up with fellow travel professionals," adds Dave. Dave hopes to next visit Montréal and Québec, due to the number of trips he sells there. But his top ambition is to experience the Northern Lights in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.


“Sleeping out in a tepee in SELLING ANADA SELLING C CANADA • • SUMMER SPRING 2014 25


March, with more than an 80% chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) would be a dream for me,” he says. In the meantine, Dave says the Canadian Signature Experiences Collection (CSE) are a great way of fast-tracking your product knowledge. “Canada is a vast country with so


much to see and do - you can't possibly know it all. But if a client ever asks you if you’ve been there, you can always tell them you know someone who has and recommend a Signature Experience.” Sign up now at canadaspecialist. co.uk.


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