Destination Canada, Canada’s national tourism marketing organization, is pleased to announce the addition of four new members to the Canadian Signature Experiences collection from across Canada.
The Canadian Signature Experiences are a curated collection of over 200 extraordinary and authentically Canadian travel experiences. As diverse as the country itself, these unique experiences are offered from coast to coast to coast and provide an introduction to the best Canada – and Canadians – has to offer.
“The Canadian Experiences are a fantastic way to inspire travellers to experience more of Canada” says the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie. “I’d like to welcome the four new experiences to the Canadian Signature Experiences. They are once-in-a- lifetime experiences that speak to the diversity and uniqueness of our country. I am confident that the quality and uniqueness of these experiences will attract numerous visitors and create economic growth in the communities where they are proposed.”
“I’m excited to welcome Pacific Coastal Cruises, West Coast Aquatic Safaris, 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours and Scenic Rush to our Canadian Signature Experiences collection,” says David F. Goldstein, Destination Canada’s President and CEO. “These new experiences show travellers from around the world that whether experiencing Canada from a boat, helicopter, hot spring or car, there’s always more to experience.”
The four new experiences are:
- Desolation Sound 5-day Cruise – Pacific Coastal Cruises (British Columbia)
Travellers follow the route first established by Captain George Vancouver through one of the most species rich coastal marine environments on Earth. View grizzlies, migrating and resident whales among other wildlife off coastal British Columbia. Cruise aboard an intimate, all-inclusive vessel then bed down in several rustic and comfortable ecolodges located deep within the wilderness. - Hot Springs Cove Excursion – West Coast Aquatic Safaris (British Columbia)
Travellers are at the edge of the continent, surrounded by verdant rainforest with the wild Pacific Ocean beyond. Waves crash. Eagles soar. And they’re taking it all in from a sensuous pool of thermally heated rainwater—a secluded natural hot springs in an off-grid park. This is Hot Springs Cove on Vancouver Island’s west coast. Travellers will spend five hours in a pristine Pacific paradise, enthralled by wildlife viewing, wilderness walks, a scenic boat tour and floatplane ride and, of course, relaxing soaks in a one-of-a-kind setting. - Aerial Views and Seaway Hues – 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours (Ontario)
Travellers will soar in a small helicopter peering down through wide bubble windows at the grand, island-dotted St. Lawrence River. Spotting early 20th century castles bristling with turrets and spires, one of them perched on a romantic, private heart-shaped island. Lighthouses crown craggy headlands and riverside mansions sprawl amid gracious gardens. As the pilot tells tales of Eastern Ontario’s historic 1000 Islands region, he points out yachts and Great Lakes freighters on blue waters so clear travellers can easily see outlines of two 35-metre (115-foot) shipwrecks. - Sea to Sky Driving Experience – Scenic Rush (British Columbia)
Lamborghini. Ferrari. The Sea to Sky Highway. Iconic cars meet an iconic road. Travellers can take the wheel and feel the thunderous power of an exotic car as they drive 80 kilometres along one of British Columbia’s most scenic and twisty highways. They’ll stop for epic photo-ops alongside mountain peaks and ocean vistas. Travellers jump into a hands-on experience with four exciting supercars on a 2.5-hour adventure of a lifetime.
Since the Canadian Signature Experiences program’s inception, the collection has grown to over 200 members and Destination Canada works in partnership with all 13 Canadian provincial and territorial marketing organizations to build and maintain the collection.
