Tourism Train A Success

Thursday, November 09, 2006 03:56 AM

The Rocky Mountaineer Train service from Whistler to Jasper has been a hit.

This is the "Fraser Discovery Route" trip which has an overnight stop in Quesnel.

(map at left courtesy Rocky Mountaineer Vacations)

While Prince George and most other areas of the province noted a slight decrease in tourism numbers over the past season, the inaugural year of this new tourism train service was a huge hit.

"We had anticipated having 3600 guests for the first season" says Ian Robertson the Director of Sustainable Development for Rocky Mountaineer, "but we exceeded that expectation and had just over 4500 guests".

He says the route was the most popular of all the packages offered by the company, and guest feedback has been positive "the survey’s show guest satisfaction on this route was higher than any other service we offer" says Robertson. He says travellers remarked on both the service, and the incredible scenery.

Increasing the ridership is the priority for next season. He expects next year will be even better for the service as Rocky Mountaineer did bring on board international travel writers who wrote favourable articles and that will likely increase interest in the trip to travellers from all over the world. "Traditionally " says Robertson, "Our guests are from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, they aren’t normally concerned with the same things which impact rubber tire traffic" things like the price of gas, or the value of the Canadian dollar.

He says while Prince George may not have been chosen as the overnight stop, the company’s experience has shown travellers who first visit the area on the train, often return to the region to explore other areas.

Robertson says Quesnel was chosen because the length of the train trip was more reasonable, but adds "Quesnel out did itself in preparing for the train guests."

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Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2006 03:56 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: acrider54 on November 9 2006 6:23 AM

Interesting how the little dot of PG on the map is bypassed. Maybe an Inland Port? I doubt it.

Posted by: Longnecks1 on November 9 2006 7:14 AM

I have worked for this company our of Vancouver to Kamloops. I don't think PG understood what a classy company this is. We were passed up for the overnight because we wouldn't offer the type of service that they demand. Could have been from the bus service to hotel prices, even service on the ramp. I konw in Kamloops they do give a price break on hotels, but then to have three hotels filled and quaranteed three times a week is well worth it. As usual..Prince George thought they had no choice, and tried to price gouge them. Guess they didn't know how smart and organized the Rocky Mountianeer is. Hope PG takes a lesson from this....I believe lots of tourists pass this place up just becuase of what they read and from pass experince with prices......

Posted by: owl on November 9 2006 10:28 AM

The map on their site does not have PG on it at all. We vanished ..... :-)

I am astounded at the cost. High season (4 months) $1,570 per person, if two are going. Add another $100 or so for GST. That includes one whole night of "moderate accommodation" in Quesnel. Only gourmet breakfast and lunch .... wonder if there is a "gourmet" dinner in Quesnel included or you have to buy that yourself?

http://www.rockymountaineer.com/vacation_packages/rocky_mountaineer/2_day_gold_leaf_service.aspx

Now look at the two week self-drive packages. One goes through the Cariboo. Buy your own food and gasoline, I assume, but accommodation in more than "moderate" digs each night, plus car rental, plus activities on 7 days. $2,500 per person with two going.

http://www.rockymountaineer.com/vacation_packages/self_drive_adventures/cariboo_and_the_coast.aspx

Here is the Whistler accommodation. Still under construction.
http://www.nitalake.com/Progress.html

Here is a 4 night, 5 day package on a sailboat in the San Juan Islands - $1365 per person, all meals and accommodation. Sounds like a fun few days for a reasonable amount of money. But, I assume only for relatively fit members of the grey tsunami who are prepared to do more than sit and eat. :-)

http://www.freshtracks.ca/sail_cruise/gulf_islands.shtml

If PG wishes to be on a tourist route such as this, we need to assemble it ourselves and "sell" it to those who sell such package tours.

Posted by: trusted on November 9 2006 11:28 AM

Think any of the merchants in Quesnel made a bundle off these tourists??
Well, I think not-but I know they spent a bundle on advertising in the belief they would be in a great position to make money.
Let's have a look!!!
Train arrives after "our" normal dinner hour.
Tourists taken by bus to their accommodation for the night---is it 7:30 P M yet?
They then prepare to go for dinner--now where did the time go--after 8:00 P.M. Guess that is the normal time for the elite to dine.
Relax and enjoy-dinner takes perhaps an hour-give or take a few minutes.
Now after 9:00 P.M. Guess best get back to the room and catch the news.
Bed time!!
Up at what? 5:30? 6:00 A M. On the bus! Breakfast on the train?
Now, pray tell me, where did they have the opportunity to spend money in retail stores? After all, did they not stay at the Sandman Inn, south of the city, and eat at Denny's, other than the food packaged and provided by a downtown restaurant--(note I said packaged). The staff stayed at the Econo Lodge--not the big time spenders. O K, so a couple made a few dollars cleaning the train cars late at night to ready for the early arrival of the tourists to head on for Jasper, where they arrived late once again-so did it help the merchants there?
Who made the big bucks?
Bet you guessed it already!
Should I waste your time and mine by telling you it was Rocky Mountaineers?
Did the merchants who spent a bundle preparing and handing out great brochures at the train
station benefit to any degree?
I think not!
What do you think?

Posted by: Runner46 on November 9 2006 11:43 AM

Check back to the press release last spring and the reason given was the time from beginning to end, with Quesnel in the middle. A logistical decision as far as travel time during the daylight hours .

Posted by: trusted on November 9 2006 3:24 PM

Travelling in the daylight hours?
Right on!
But what does that have to do with the time allotted for dinner, nighting over, and reboarding to head on to Jasper?
I cannot do any better than give you the times as posted, so what does the press release have to do with my posting?
I did not state they did not travel in daylight-nor did I make it an issue.

Posted by: owl on November 9 2006 5:30 PM

The businesses who make the money are the motels and associated restaurants/pubs, as well as the local bus company. Plus anyone locally who services the train overnight, as you said.

With that sort of schedule, one should start to look at value added for both the tourist and the local service providers. If there were some activities in the Quesnel area to keep tourists for a few nights, they could stop over and catch the next train. Barkerville would take care of one day. The Tyee Lake Resort would be an additional opportunity.

BTW, since the train goes through PG, it might be interesting to consider what people will see of PG as they sit in that dome car. Coming in from the south they will travel the full length of the BCR industrial site at a slow speed and see industrial buildings and activities on both sides of the car. Then they will get a bit of a view of residential and downtown on the left as they emerge from under the Simon Fraser Bridge with a view of cutbanks to the right. Finally, they will ride past the two pulpmills, where they hug the river on the opposite side of the mills and then furhter on the same with the old Northwood mill. If it is early in the morning, there is a good chance of getting a whiff of the emissions.

So, when asked after the trip whether there is any place that they would like to return to on their trip to spend some time, how many would say "Prince George"?

Posted by: owl on November 9 2006 5:42 PM

First impressions ..... most important?

So someone flies into PG ... sees a nice new airport, drives down airport hill and sees a city below, with pulp mills on the right .... at least the there is some indication of a city ....

The main unsightly area is first avenue. The north side of the road is terrible ... like a junk yard ... in fact, there is one there which does not have a proper sight obscuring fence ... then derelict warehouses ..... that could be driven to Victoria and one would get a reasonable impression of small city office buildings .... left on 7th and on to several hotel options in that area.

Posted by: Runner46 on November 9 2006 7:59 PM

Ouch!!!! trusted.........

Sorry for bringing up some new information.

Posted by: trusted on November 9 2006 9:23 PM

No time to visit pubs. Remember the early A M start.
The buses transporting the tourists are Rocky Mountaineer buses.
At the risk of repeating myself, I do believe the Sandman Inn, Denny's, the restaurant that packaged food, the Econo Inn, and the people that cleaned the cars made some money.
I wanted to bring to light the fact the merchants-business people who sell their wares-actually experienced little, or no benefit, from these tourists nighting over in Quesnel.
Did Prince George merchants miss out?
NO! Not in my opinion.

Posted by: Harbinger on November 9 2006 9:39 PM

How about a lot of merchants peddling their wares like they do in train stations in old movies about China and India? Maybe farmers market kinda folk could sell maybe live chickens and souvenirs to the tourists on the train. But then again our train station aint exactly like a Bombay train station. Is it? Boy, that would put ol' P.G. on the map, eh?

Posted by: Chester on November 9 2006 9:46 PM

If the plans are to only overnight in PG for either a train or a bus, good luck. There is absolutely nothing for these folks to do after the dinner hour.

Take a walk around downtown after 7:00pm and tell me what you can do. Don't forget, none of these people have cars. They are not out looking for bars or night clubs. There is no shopping. A couple of blocks in each direction and you reach a dead end.

I have watched buses come and go from the downtown core of our city and been very disappointed that there is nothing for them to do. No wonder they don't want to spend more time here. We are just on the way to someplace else for most of them. Chester

Posted by: Chadermando on November 10 2006 1:42 AM

Owl, very good observations IMO.

If first impressions are the most important, than we do have potential as a city. Coming down the Hart after the scales during a sunset, or in the early morning, is a nice impression. Coming down 97 South into the BCR site at night with a view towards the future University Heights once developed will be a very impressive cityscape view. Obviously the view from University Way is a must see for any traveler (no benches for the time being).

I think what PG needs is the Disney World equivalent of Treasure Island. A stand alone destination where you cross a draw bridge to a whole street of pubs and entertainment. Located in a downtown setting along the river would be ideal. Next best option would be across form Fort George Park IMO. Might as well take advantage of the river, the view, and the sunsets all in one location. Convenient for the tourists and close to the downtown commercial district.

IMO PG needs a marketing theme that fits our strengths and brokers our services assisting in a strategic development of the industries small service providers. This is something found elsewhere in BC. IMO Eco-tourism 2010 would be the kind of marketing trademark that this type of region could build its strategy around. VANOC 2010 will do all they can to see that never happens, while promising us Guatemalan bobsledders that will make us all dizzy as a consolation prize.

Posted by: Honest_Abe on November 10 2006 7:25 AM

The best thing about Quesnel is Highway 97, because it's the way OUT of Quesnel.

Who really takes a train nowadays anyway? Eveyone flies or drives. Trains are for wedding dresses, not for transportation. Maybe 100 years ago.

Posted by: Runner46 on November 10 2006 9:08 AM

Au contrair........the customer has spoken and is prepared to spend lots of money on the choo choo train. They will expand next year.

Posted by: trusted on November 10 2006 9:21 AM

ReRead my postings!
No walking around after 7 P M. Chester. They are preparing for dinner.
If merchants remained open until 10 P M it would not help.These tourists have to rise very early to be transported to the train again.
And how far out is the comment "trains are for wedding dresses?"
That really needs an explanation!
Sorry Chad-the tourists will never see your sunset on the Hart, or your University way.
Sorry Harbinger-you do not even deserve mention.
It is no wonder Prince George gets by passed.
If tourists were to read what has been posted here-they would be afraid to leave the train.
What is everybody smoking these days???

Posted by: paladin on November 10 2006 9:47 AM

Hey, you all have good points, well except you know, selling live chickens maybe.Brings to mind when some of our family came to visit and they took a wrong turn and wound up driving thru downtown around 7 o'clock at night. They must've turned at our beautiful "Gateway to Downtown" and next thing you know they thought they were in some weird twilight zone episode. It was daylight and they were surrounded by all these big buildings and not a soul in sight... Anyway, I still don't know what to answer them when they ask if there's any tourist attractions or suitable accomodations near where we live. It's embarassing.