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<div align="left"> <p class="style1"> <strong>Exploring Canada - (Tour Canada with us!)</strong> - Website Update August 2005</font> </p> <p class="style1"><em> The genuine way to experience classic Canadian attractions! Your best way to tour Canada!</font> </em></p> <p class="style1"><strong> Company Introduction</font> </strong></p> <p class="style1"> Exploring Canada Tours Inc. (Tour Canada with us!) was established in 2003 to offer soft adventure “experiential tourism” opportunities to intrepid visitors to Canada, and to provide great ways to tour Canada. The company founders have more than 45 years experience working in Canada’s National Park and Historic Parks System, touring Canada, from coast to coast. We are eager to take you to our favorite places, tour Canada, to share with you authentic Canadian culture, cuisine, aboriginal stories and experiences, and to explore our wonderful and wild nature!</font> </p> <p class="style1"> As our guest, you expect a more casual and independent approach to your holiday travel. You look forward to learning about the people and places you visit, and you value the security of a worry-free and safe traveling environment. Above all, you seek a genuine experience when you tour Canada. We guarantee exciting travel!</font> </p> <ul> <li> <span class="style1">Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) will meet your expectations by providing:</span></li> <li class="style1">Value-based classic Canadian themes tours.</font> </li> <li class="style1"><font color="#000000">Tour Canada with us, we will make your experience unforgettable!</font> </li> <li class="style1">Knowledgeable, friendly guides who can credibly impart local flavour.</li> <li class="style1">Flexible itineraries that allow travelers the time and access to participate in attractions.</li> <li class="style1">Modern mini-buses to transport up to 15 like-minded travelers.</li> <li class="style1">Clean, comfortable accommodations and exceptional Canadian dining experiences! </li> </ul> <p class="style1">Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) is initially using Calgary and its world-class international airport as the hub for our tour operations. We will expand our offering in subsequent years to hubs in other regions of Canada, applying our concept to classic Canadian attractions around the country. We guarantee exciting travel!</p> <p class="style1"><br> <strong>Visitor Survey</strong></p> <p class="style1"> As a visitor to www.exploringcanada.com, you are invited to complete this short survey! Hit SUBMIT when you are finished. Thank you!<br> Have you traveled with us before? Y/N<br> If so, how did you enjoy your experience? 1-5<br> Add any comments/suggestions you see fit: text box<br> Are you interested in exploring more of Canada? 1-5<br> If so, where? Text or multiple choice plus text<br> How would you like to travel? Text or multiple choice with text (i.e. van, RV, bus, etc.)<br> Do you like our web site? 1-5<br> How would you improve it? Text<br> If you would like to be kept up-to-date on Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) services, please enter your contact information:<br> Name<br> Mailing Address<br> Email Address<span class="style1"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </span> </p> </div> <p align="left" class="style1">Thank you for completing our visitor survey!!</p> <p align="left" class="style1"><strong>About the Founders - Tour Canada with Us!</strong><br> (Simon: throw the picture of Bob in here caption: Bob and his daughter-in-law Mitsuko.) We guarantee exciting travel! <p align="left" class="style1"><br> Bob Weaver President, Exploring Canada Tours Inc. (Tour Canada with us!) Inc. bob@exploringcanada.com<br> <br> Bob, a geographer and tourism market research specialist, spent his career with Parks Canada working with dedicated managers and staff in the delivery of the world’s best natural and cultural heritage tourism experience. With a passion for world travel and interests that include photography, sailing, hiking and skiing, Bob is keen on sharing these experiences and his knowledge of Canada’s history, culture and natural environment with visitors from far and near.<br> (Simon: throw the picture of Bill in here caption: Bill and his son Alex.) We guarantee exciting travel! <p align="left" class="style1"> <br> Bill Overend Vice-President, Exploring Canada Tours Inc. (Tour Canada with us!) Inc. bill@exploringcanada.com<br> <br> Bill is a Certified Management Consultant and runs his own consulting firm (Overview Business Consulting Inc.). He has spent more than a decade involved in natural and human history conservation, primarily with Parks Canada in Whitehorse, Jasper and Calgary. He is an avid traveler, having traversed the globe with a backpack, bicycle-toured around Europe, visited every Canadian province, and undertaken a number of more “traditional” holidays with his wife Patti and their children Sam and Alex. Bill holds an abiding appreciation for Canada’s natural and human history and is eager to share his enthusiasm at every opportunity!</p> </p> </p> <span class="style1"> (Tour Canada with us!) </span> <p align="left" class="style1"> <p align="left" class="style1"> <p align="left" class="style1"><br> <strong>Transportation Services</strong><br> Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) is not just a tour company – we also have a growing passenger transportation service. <br> Currently we operate the seasonal shuttle bus service to Lake O’Hara in the Canadian Rockies, on contract with Parks Canada. For details on booking a seat to the lake, please click to http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/activ/activ15a_e.asp <br> Should you require passenger transportation services in the near future, please contact us for an estimate. Here are a few pictures of us in action!<br> (Simon: throw the bus related pictures I sent you in here, no captions necessary)</p> <p align="left" class="style1"><br> <br> <strong>What We’re Hearing From You</strong><br> In 2003 Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) polled its riders to take stock of overall satisfaction levels, as well as to identify ways we can continue to improve. In total 695 riders recorded their feedback. Overall results are depicted here:</p> <p align="left" class="style1"> We are pleased with the results – and more than ever determined to continue to improve our operations! <br> We have worked with Parks Canada and area stakeholders to adjust the bus schedule for 2004 to better meet the needs of the majority of our riders. For information on the new schedule, please visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/activ/activ15a_e.asp. The new schedule will allow our drivers more exposure to the Lake O’Hara region, thus make them a better source of information and stories for our riders. <br> We have a number of other ideas in the works to make our O’Hara Transit service “more than just a bus ride.” Come and check us out! Between June and October, you’ll find our buses stationed at the Lake O’Hara parking lot along the Trans-Canada Highway, on the B.C side of the Continental Divide.<br> A few written comments from our riders:<br> Excellent bus service loved Lake O'Hara.<br> Very helpful and courteous!<br> Excellent keep on trekking!<br> Friendly kind, prompt service. Couldn't be better.<br> Very accommodating (but a bit bumpy!)<br> Our Lake O'Hara experience was awesome. Please keep the conservation going -- you guys are doing a great job. Thank you.<br> Wonderful experience – magnificent landscape. <br> Very confident driver -- thank you!</p> <p align="left" class="style1"><strong>Press Releases</strong><br> April 2004: Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) to commence its second season at O’Hara<br> In 2004, Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) Inc. commences its second season as operator of shuttle buses to Lake O’Hara. </p> <p align="left" class="style1">Building on a successful inaugural season in the Lake O’Hara area, the company is responding to rider feedback and has introduced a number of minor improvements for 2004. The biggest change will be to the bus schedule. Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) has introduced extra capacity for the afternoon shuttle down from the Lake, which should alleviate waits that some hikers were experiencing on peak volume days.<br> “We worked with Parks Canada and the O’Hara community to come up with adjustments that we believe will streamline departure from the Lake area,” says Bill Overend, company vice-president. “The change doesn’t expand Parks Canada use quotas for O’Hara, but it does better align transportation capacity with the times users want to come out. A secondary benefit of the schedule changes is that our drivers will gain greater exposure to the O’Hara area,” adds Overend, “so their knowledge and experience will also be enriched.”<br> The company’s focus will be to continue to provide safe, efficient, prompt, and courteous transportation services to and from the Lake, as part of an agreement reached with Parks Canada in 2003. Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) managers and staff are members of the Lake O’Hara Trails Club and the company is proud to be a donor to the club for the second year. <br> This summer the bus service to O’Hara operates from Friday June 18 to Sunday Oct. 3 between the Trans-Canada Highway and the lake. All reservations for the service, which costs $15 for adults and $7.50 for youths 6-16, will continue to go through Parks Canada (the number is 250-343-6433). The full bus schedule is available on the web at http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/yoho/activ/activ15a_e.asp. </p> <p align="left" class="style1">More information on Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) (Tour Canada with us!)can be found at www.exploringcanada.com.</p> <p align="left" class="style1"><br> <strong>May 2003: O’Hara hikers to ride new shuttle service this summer</strong></p> <p align="left" class="style1">Exploring Canada Tours Inc. is the new operator of shuttle buses to Lake O’Hara this summer. The company won a three-year contract for provision of the service through a tendering process held earlier this year by Parks Canada. </p> <p align="left" class="style1">Based in Calgary, Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) was formed to provide contract transportation services as well as authentic soft adventure tours. In the summer of 2003, its central focus will be the safe, courteous, on-time transportation of park visitors to and from the O’Hara area. Behind the scenes, the company will be pursuing plans for all-inclusive tour products, to be offered beginning summer 2004.</p> <p align="left" class="style1">“Lake O’Hara is a very special place in the Rockies … it’s a great jumping-off point for us,” said Bill Overend, company director. “It’s an honour to be contributing to the overall experience of visitors to the area.” Overend, who has worked with Parks Canada in Calgary, Jasper and Whitehorse and now resides in Calgary, said his drivers will work closely with the Lake O’Hara Trails Club, Lake O’Hara Lodge, the Alpine Club of Canada and Parks Canada to ensure that needs are being met.</p> <p align="left" class="style1">The bus service to O’Hara operates from June 19 to October 6 between the Trans-Canada Highway and the lake. All reservations for the service, which costs $12 for adults and $5 for youths 6-16, will continue to go through Parks Canada (the number is 250-343-6433). The bus schedule is available on the web at www.parkscanada.gc.ca/yoho. </p> <p align="left" class="style1">More information on Exploring Canada Tours (Tour Canada with us!) can be found at www.exploringcanada.com. <br> Contact Us<br> Exploring Canada Tours Inc.<br> 2713 10 Street S.W.<br> Calgary AB T2T 3H3<br> Canada</p> <p align="left" class="style1">Bob Weaver<br> President <br> bob@exploringcanada.com <br> (403) 870-1687</p> </p> </p> <p align="left" class="style1"><font color="#000000">Bill Overend<br> Vice-President <br> bill@exploringcanada.com<br> (403) 703-6837<br> Links<br> Here are links and contacts to organizations we’re involved with:<br> Parks Canada Yoho National Park www.parkscanada.gc.ca/yohoLake O’Hara Trails Club Box 98, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0<br> Lake O’Hara Lodge www.lakeohara.com/Alpine Club of Canada Calgary Section www.AlpineClubofCanada.ca</font><font color="#000000"></font></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p>
