Crescent Falls in David Thompson Country
Building our destination
The Showcase Adventures are about brining tourism operators, local residents and others involved in our industry together to grow our destination. It’s an opportunity to get to know each other, dream up new experiences and raise awareness about the amazing things to do in our region.
It started back in 2014 when we pitched Tourism Red Deer with the idea of taking their product knowledge session on the road, getting tourism and hospitality staff to get some first-hand experience on the activities they recommend to their guests. Over the years, the tours have changed a lot, from Experience Experts to Showcase, from listing tours where we visited 12 operators in 4 hours to a slower pace where we get to experience what each operator has to offer. Unfortunately, the grant that made it possible for Tourism Red Deer and the Central Alberta Tourism Alliance to support these tours by offering them at a subsidized rate expired in 2019.
We’re working on some ideas to bring them back for 2021. Our decision to focus on the Nordegg and Abraham Lake area along with our relocation this past year will mean a change of focus but also new opportunities for shorter FAM tours and workshops. Let us know if you have any ideas or if you’d like to help bring these to life. In the meantime, check out some of the past tours below and keep an eye on this page to find out when new adventures will be posted.
Learning about local food at Edgar Farms
Mining heritage at the Brazeau Collieries National Historic Site
Indigenous heritage at the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site
Upcoming Adventures
We don’t have a schedule available yet. The plan is for the new adventures to launch in early 2021.
Past Adventures
Check out some of the destination development tours we have offered in the past.
Related Posts
The Adventure Model
These are the elements we bring together to create the adventure. This is our framework to determine which options will best work together.
Two Approaches to Experience Development
The difference between the retail and purpose based approaches to experiences is one of mindset: a focus on the short versus the long term.
Embracing Constraints
Authenticity, desirability, feasibility and viability need to be addressed at every step of the experience development process.
Experiential Travel, Adventure Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
All of these activities have the power to transform participants. The difference is on what they aim to change.
Packages, collections, experiences…
A package is about savings for the guests, a collection is about added value and an experience is about the feelings it creates.
Asking Why to Craft Better Experiences
A look at two different ways to craft experiences we often come across, each of them appealing to a different type of operators and guests.
Showcase Adventures: Waskasoo Park Bike Tour
Despite a rainy start of the day, we had a great time learning about coffee, exploring the trails and enjoying lunch at the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary.