Tourism Saskatchewan’s relationship with Destination Canada has opened doors to working with global agencies and bringing greater attention to Saskatchewan travel experiences. These opportunities are a critical part of tourism recovery and positioning Saskatchewan as a desired destination among international and niche travel markets.

 

In 2021, Destination Canada entered into a partnership with internationally acclaimed Entrée Canada to create a new collection of travel itineraries featuring all 13 provinces and territories. The Stories of Canada™ series steers away from iconic landmarks and locations, and focuses on the diversity of cultures, people and communities across the nation. The itineraries are designed to foster deeper, more meaningful exploration of Canada and create memorable connections between host communities and their guests.

 

Entrée Canada President and CEO Marc Telio, along with several teammates, travelled to Saskatchewan in June. The trip enabled them to capture video footage and photography, and forge connections with a number of operators in the Saskatoon area and several northern locations. Telio shared that, for most of the team, it was their first opportunity to spend concentrated time in the province. They appreciated the opportunity to experience, firsthand, some of the remarkable landscapes, sights, sounds, tastes and traditions that Saskatchewan offers.

 

“I visited Saskatchewan once, about 20 years ago, so was entirely open to suggestions,” Telio said, adding that discussions with Tourism Saskatchewan representatives heightened his anticipation to return. “They were engaged, passionate, excited, professional – all the things that excite me. My expectations were created from those conversations. I definitely fell in love with every moment of every leg and component of our trip.”

 

“Tourism Saskatchewan values this new relationship with Entrée Canada,” Amy McInnis, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications, said. “We enjoyed working with the team and managing the schedule, logistics and introductions to make every minute of the trip count. It was another example of great collaboration with operators and industry partners.”

 

For 28 years, Entrée Canada has been customizing vacation packages for discerning customers, taking them to some of the nation’s top wilderness resorts and offering a seamless experience designed to their specific needs, budget and desired location. Multi-generational trips are popular. The company often works with families, taking into consideration the different interests and needs of grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren, and designing a group adventure that provides cherished memories.

 

“Entrée Canada continues to develop and is becoming widely known for cultural experiences – for what the Stories of Canada™ feature,” Telio said. “A goal for us is to introduce guests to more remote places, especially in the north, and bring recognition to communities, to Indigenous experiences and history, and to on-the-ground, rugged and unscripted experiences. The response to the collection is spectacular. The idea, the videos, the materials we’ve created – everyone who looks at is says it’s a Canada they’ve never seen before.”

 

Telio and his colleagues covered a range of activities and locations on their six-day visit that gave them a taste of Saskatchewan hospitality and some of the inspiring travel experiences. “We were ‘rocked’ by Twin Falls Lodge – by the beauty of the setting, by the way management engages Cree guides and by the plans to extend the season and create more experiences that feature local people,” he said.

 

Their time in Saskatoon included visits to Black Fox Farm & Distillery, the Remai Modern and several other locations. A special Han Wi Moon dinner was hosted at Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Telio expressed appreciation for the park interpreters, who shared compelling stories while leading a bison tour and demonstrating tipi raising. “I was so impressed by the youth interpreters and how articulately they handled difficult stories in such a thoughtful way, without it being a painfully hard discussion,” he said. “That’s extremely sensitive material for a young person to communicate so well. It was very touching, masterful and natural. That was a highlight for me, just hearing those personal stories.”

 

“My crew said over and over that the trip was beyond epic,” Telio added. “The shooting, the weather, the conditions, the suppliers and people we met, the experiences we enjoyed – everybody thought it was spectacular. We loved it. Saskatchewan held its own among all the provinces.”

 

The Saskatchewan chapter in the Stories of Canada™ collection will be posted on entreedestinations.com.