New tour bus will link city with Rockies
A new sightseeing bus link between Edmonton and Jasper is a long-awaited boost to the region’s international tourism market, industry officials say.
The route, called Mountain Escape, starts May 31 — a partnership between coach line and tour operator Brewster, Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels and Edmonton Tourism.
“It’s something that we needed in Edmonton from a tourism-product perspective,” said Maggie Davison, vice-president of Edmonton Tourism.
“We’ve been working hard … to create what we call a link. We’ve been working hard on all this new, international air access and we need to position Edmonton as the gateway to other Canadian experiences and products.”
The Mountain Escape route, and Brewster’s new depot at the Edmonton International Airport, allows Edmonton to connect with existing Brewster routes or VIA Rail service across Alberta and British Columbia.
“(Brewster) has done a great job connecting Calgary to the Canadian Rockies. We’re now tapping into the northern part of the Rockies,” Davison said. “The more multiple options we can provide that fully independent traveller client, the better off we are in getting international visitation into Edmonton.”
Priced between $99 and $219, the service allows tourists to spend a day at West Edmonton Mall or tour city sights such as Old Strathcona and Fort Edmonton Park. The initial Edmonton stops are a pilot project and Davison says they hope to expand the itinerary.
From Jasper, the bus travels down the Icefields Parkway and stops at the Athabasca Glacier Adventure and Glacier Skywalk, attractions operated by Brewster. It goes through Saskatchewan Crossing, Rocky Mountain House and back to Edmonton.
“This new initiative is designed to provide guests travelling into Edmonton with more options to connect to Jasper and Banff National Parks,” said Brewster president Dave McKenna.
“The Mountain Escape tour offers guests the flexibility of tailoring their itineraries by easily pairing this experience with any of Brewster’s other continuous departures that connect the Canadian Rockies with Edmonton and beyond.”
The service is aimed mainly at European and U.S. visitors, but could also appeal to Edmontonians or new Canadians who don’t want to drive.
Tom Ruth, president and CEO of Edmonton International Airport, said the airport serves 60 non-stop destinations including London, Reykjavik and Amsterdam and 13 U.S. hubs.
“This exciting new route is another opportunity for our visitors to explore Edmonton and the northern Rockies and an ideal opportunity for visiting friends and relatives flying in to Edmonton this summer,” Ruth said in a release.