Delectable food and engaging storytelling about the history and architecture of Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies” are ready to be savoured. The “Eat the Castle” experience with Alberta Food Tours takes guests on an exclusive tour of the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stopping to sample mouth-watering culinary creations prepared by world-class chefs, from French-inspired fare to Canadian classics. Of the venues on the tour—STOCK Food and Drink, Rundle Bar, The Vermillion Room and 1888 Chop House—Alberta Food Tours founder and president, Karen Anderson, says, “We love them and get very special access and treatment from them all.” Hilary Booth, operations manager of destination management company Pacifi c Destination Services Inc., notes that her “guests had a wonderful time and we even heard it was ‘the best food tour I have ever been on’.” In Calgary, groups will have a blast getting a taste of the fl ourishing craft brewery scene on a 15-person bike tour. Pedal Pub Calgary can plan a custom route with visits to local bars, restaurants and breweries, and guests can sample the products along the way on their pedal-powered patio. Boasting 8,000 acres of incredible skiable terrain and 357 runs at the world-class Big 3 resorts—Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mt. Norquay—which get 30 feet of feather-light powder annually, a visit to Banff and Lake Louise is a bucket-list experience your delegates won’t soon forget. Hit the slopes with Big 3 certifi ed ski and snowboard pros for exhilarating guided adventures, customized for your thrill-seeking experts and relaxed cruisers. When the temperatures drop, Banff National Park’s powerful waterfalls are transformed into dazzling towers of ice. Groups can explore these awe- inspiring natural ice formations on a guided ice walk in the Johnston Canyon with Discover Banff Tours, crossing the steel catwalks that have been built into the canyon walls. Up the excitement factor of this truly unique experience by touring the canyon at night, illuminated by headlamps. Alberta is home to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, fi ve of which are within driving distance from Calgary, making them a must-see on any itinerary. With an interpretive guide, groups can explore the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park, one of the world’s richest deposit of fossils, or have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of uncovering fossils with a palaeontologist technician on an authentic dinosaur dig. Cruising the Icefi elds Parkway from the sidecar of a Harley Davidson with Jasper Motorcycle Tours to see the Columbia Icefi eld, the largest in the Canadian Rockies, is an experience your delegates will talk about for years to come. Danielle Powell, director and owner of BANFF DMC, says the experience is “perfect for small incentives. They can tour around on bikes with a guide and it’s a really great way to visit the destination.” Discover the remarkable rock art at Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai’pi Provincial Park, depicting the history, knowledge and traditions of the Indigenous people who recorded their experiences for centuries. Thousands of petroglyphs and pictographs can be found on the sandstone cliff s of this sacred place, the largest concentration of Indigenous rock art in the North American Great Plains. Taste the Rockies Winter Adventure Uniquely UNESCO Need more ideas for your delegates pre and post program? Connect with us at visitcalgary.com/meetings Learn more about the billion reasons that make Calgary the perfect destination to host your event. Scan the QR code on the opposite page for link. J o h n s t o n C a n y o n Jasper Motorcycle Tours Mt. Norquay PHOTO: TRAVEL ALBERTA / SCOTT BAKKEN PHOTO: ALBERTA FOOD TOURS PHOTO: TOURISM JASPER PHOTO: REUBEN KRABBE / SKIBIG3 PHOTO: NOEL HENDRICKSON Al b er t a F o o d T o u r s Ignite Advertising Supplement | Ignitemag.ca | 43
