The Best of the West
Travelling to six destinations in seven days, these VIP guests experienced 12 different methods of transportation. These included floatplanes, bikes, helicopters, zodiac boats, gondolas, and a privately chartered Boeing 737 that was the first of its kind to land in rural Alberta, at a small airport called Edson.
Objective
Rare Indigo was given the mammoth task of designing an itinerary that had to include Vancouver, Victoria, Jasper and Banff in seven days – a true sea to sky adventure spanning a vast 1200 km. With the objective of minimizing travel times while giving guests the “Best of the West” experience, Rare Indigo created a remarkable, never-been-done-before program.
Project Logistics:
Rare Indigo was given the mammoth task of designing an itinerary that had to include Vancouver, Victoria, Jasper and Banff in seven days – a true sea to sky adventure spanning a vast 1200 km. The key to this program was to provide seamless transportation throughout, while minimizing travel times, without using motor coaches, in unique and creative methods. Furthermore, the client insisted on including all major destination highlights in Western Canada in a short period of time, such as: whale watching in Victoria, touring Granville Island and Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, visiting the Icefields Parkway in Jasper, and experiencing Banff National Park, to name a few.
The Challange
The main challenge for Rare Indigo was how to showcase two provinces in six days without resorting to long motor coach travel. The air travel time from Vancouver to Edmonton, and then motor coach distance to Jasper alone, would have cut an entire day from the program which the client did not want. Therefore, seamless, convenient and efficient transportation and planning was paramount to the success of this program.
Action Taken
With the stacked schedule and the goal to not compromise any time travelling, Rare Indigo suggested floatplanes be used as the return transport between Vancouver and Victoria. Further, a private plane was proposed to fly guests from Vancouver to the quiet Edson airport, a halfway point between Edmonton and Jasper. From there, guests would participate in a unique, custom-designed road rally to meet the client’s request for creativity. Proposing these solutions, the client was incredibly enthusiastic, especially considering this was an automotive incentive.
Two Program Managers were assigned to this program: one for BC and one for Alberta. Further, to ensure the road rally ran smoothly, in advance of the program, the Alberta Program Manager drove the two-day route herself making notes of key sites to visit, important information to know, and overall enjoyability of the drive itself. From there, a road rally guide book was created.
Result
Rare Indigo strategized a logistically complex program, overcoming the challenges to meet the client’s objectives for a seamless and highly engaging experience for the guests. The grand finale of the program was a custom-designed and highly complex road rally where guests drove 664km through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In addition, the arrival of a Boeing 737 plane in a remote airport prompted the locals of the area to come out to witness the event (including the local newspaper). They all lined up at the airport fence to welcome the guests. This logistical accomplishment prompted meetings afterward with the airline and the community for potentially using the Edson airport in the future.
Praise
“We didn’t pick the easiest way through our beloved Rockies, but it’s exactly that challenge that made it so memorable. Thanks for not only letting us dream out loud, but mostly for turning it into reality.”
Ann Raets, Sr. Account Manager | Experience Designer
Groups & Incentives