Winter Sports in Canada HOW TO SELL...
Canada is renowned for its reliable annual snowfall and welcoming, family- focused resorts. No matter what level of skier or snowboarder, Canada’s offering can help take them to the next level – with plenty of après-ski fun along the way
BY JULIE BAXTER
Canada saw record snowfalls the last two winters, which has strengthened its position as a powder heaven for skiers and boarders. Add world-class resorts, stunning scenery, a friendly welcome and lots to do beyond the slopes and winter sports in Canada should be a relatively easy sell.
Mont Tremblant, Québec
why sell? CANADA
VISAS: UK passport holders do not need a visa TIME ZONE: -5 GMT to -8 GMT CURRENCY: £1 = C$1.64 (August 30 2013) WEATHER: Expect real 'seasons' OPERATORS: Those featuring winter options in Canada include: Canadian Affair, Crystal, Frontier Travel, Inghams, Prestige, Scott Dunn, Ski Safari and Virgin Holidays KEY RESORTS: Alberta: Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Mount Norquay, Marmot Basin (Jasper), Nakiska British Columbia: Whistler/ Blackcomb, Sun Peaks, Panorama, Kicking Horse, Fernie, Revelstoke, Big White, Apex, Whitewater Québec: Tremblant, Mont Sainte- Anne, Eastern Townships GETTING THERE: Fly direct into Calgary for easy access to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Panorama, Kicking Horse, Fernie and Revelstoke, or take a short connecting flight from Calgary to Kelowna for Big White in the Okanagan Valley or fly into Kamloops to explore Sun Peaks. Fly into Vancouver for the short transfer to Whistler. You can take a scenic five-hour drive from Vancouver to Sun Peaks. Fly to Montréal for Tremblant, Eastern Townships. Fly to Québec City for Mont Sainte Anne
The UK ski market is
bouncing back, with the number of skiers taking a holiday increasing by 5,000 (one per cent) last winter, according to the Crystal Ski Industry Report 2013. This bodes well for Canada this winter season, which also showed ski-sector growth in 2013. The better value of ski packages, and the likely repeat booking inclination of those catching the winter sports bug ensure the reasons to sell Canada quickly stack up.
who to?
Great powder
conditions, off-piste opportunities and heli-skiing will wow advanced and adventurous skiers to Canada, while English-speaking instructors and guides, family-friendly slopes and a strong line-up of activities for non-skiers should draw beginners.
sell what? Whistler, BC, is Canada's
best-known resort, but there are plenty of great alternatives, like Sun Peaks, also in BC, a popular choice for families. Twin these with stunning Vancouver for a snow and city combo. Alberta has the widest choice
of resorts and three ski hills near Banff – Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay – have new developments for the forthcoming season (
skibig3.com). Sunshine Village, which offers the only ski-in, ski-
Slipping away on a raft at Carnaval du Québec
out accommodation in Banff, has launched a new ski yoga package combining ski with meditation; while Mount Norquay will have wider slopes and a new observation deck complete for the new season. Lake Louise is building on its free ski friends programme which uses volunteer ski patrols for relaxed guiding on the higher slopes and the back country. Jasper's Marmot Basin is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Québec, too, is well established
for winter sports, with its leading resort, Tremblant, celebrating its 75th season by offering discounted ski passes, such as $75 (£48) for children if bought before September 24. For slope and city combinations,
Mont Sainte-Anne is just half-an-hour from downtown Québec City. Montréal has three key winter festivals worth highlighting to clients looking to combine skiing with a winter event: Igloofest, a winter electronic music festival; Fete des Neiges, celebrating snow; and the Highlights Festival, for food and culture.
www.sellinglonghaul.com what's new?
Canadian Affair has a range of early- booking incentives, with low deposits, £100 discounts and free ski carriage for those fl ying Air Transat. Frontier Ski is offering early bookers
discounts of up to 50% on hotels and air fares and has expanded its heli- skiing section. Inghams has added Jasper. It also offers three- to fi ve- star hotels, apartments and a range of two-centre options combining skiing with city breaks in Vancouver and Montréal. The 'Inghams Plus' promotion highlights savings of up to £700 per couple, including early- booking discounts and lift-pass deals, Ski Safari is now offering the resorts
of Red Mountain and Whitewater in BC’s Kootenay Rockies. Red Mountain has expanded its skiable terrain for this season and Whitewater will appeal to those who want some of the steepest slopes, deepest powder and most diverse terrain in the world.
September 2013 27
STATION MONT TREMBLANT
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