News Releases

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations introduces new partnership opportunity for Cariboo and North Central B.C.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (March 7, 2007) - Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (RMV) is pleased to offer tourism and hospitality operators in the Cariboo and North Central region of British Columbia the opportunity to participate in a new package for 2008 - Gold Rush, Rails and Rockies Adventure which has been designed to highlight the best of the region. This latest initiative is part of the company's ongoing commitment to sustainable development, which includes contributing to the economic growth of the communities in which it operates.

"The first operating year for the Rocky Mountaineer Fraser Discovery Route has been a remarkable success and our plan is to build on this by fulfilling our promise to develop tourism packages which further showcase the region," says Ian Robertson, Executive Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. "Our vacation packages are an essential element to a sustainable tourist rail service.  We believe that the region has significant tourism potential and the introduction of the Gold Rush, Rails and Rockies Adventure is a good business decision which enhances our product options."

In 2006, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations premiered the new Fraser Discovery Route which hosted over 4,500 guests from around the world on its two-day journey from Whistler, B.C. to Jasper, AB including a one night stay in Quesnel, B.C. With the Gold Rush, Rail and Rockies Adventure, Rocky Mountaineer guests will have the opportunity to break up their two-day rail experience by getting off the train in Quesnel, at the end of the first day, and exploring the best of the region for three nights or more. 

"We are thrilled with the profile this new initiative will bring to our emerging tourism region. The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, while relatively undiscovered, offers an abundance of tourism and development opportunities as each community has its own distinct geography, culture, and attractions," says Kim Burgoyne, Executive Director of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association. "This new opportunity puts our region on the same playing field as Whistler and Jasper and we're elated with the affiliation."

This spring, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations' Product Development team will conduct product workshops in the region to introduce the Gold Rush, Rails and Rockies Adventure experience, how the communities can become involved and how it will work.  This opportunity will not only provide the communities with a chance for local operators to cross-market their product or property with the award-winning Rocky Mountaineer train, but the operators that RMV partners with will benefit from the company's international reputation and sales and marketing infrastructure. 

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations offers year-round vacation packages to the most unique regions of Canada and four spectacular rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta.  Best known for the world-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train, a two-day, all daylight rail journey between Canada's West and the Canadian Rockies, the company also offers trips onboard the new Whistler Mountaineer train, which is a daily three-hour experience between North Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. Since its inception in 1990, the company has grown to become the largest privately owned passenger rail service in North America and has hosted over 900,000 guests from around the world. In 2006, RMV was honoured with a World Travel Award as "World's Leading Travel Experience by Train" for the second consecutive year. Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, one of Canada's leading tourism providers, is a proud partner of Gray Line West motorcoach operations in Banff, AB and Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria, B.C.

Contacts:

www.rockymountaineer.com
www.whistlermountaineer.com

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