Making tracks in Canada's Tremblant

At the end of February, Tourisme Quebec took a group of seven ski specialist operators and agents to experience the resorts of Mont Tremblant and Saint Saveur, as well as gateway city Montreal. We caught up with three of them to hear their feedback and top selling tips.

Family playground

The sellers agreed that Mont Tremblant was an ideal destination for families. Karen Moodie, a ski specialist at Ski Independence, says: “Tremblant as a resort was so well set up for families with everything within walking distance, and the car-free pedestrian areas are a bonus.”

Nick Edwards, managing director at Snowfinders agrees, saying that the layout of the ski slopes was very family friendly. “There was a good range of terrain for different standards so a family could ski different runs and all meet at the rendezvous point at the bottom of the mountain – a great selling point for those with teenage children who want to go off and ski on their own.”

Edwards also highlighted that much of the accommodation was ski-in/ski-out, which makes accessing the slopes easy for those with kids.

Making the switch

Convincing families to try Canada over their usual European ski break didn’t faze the agents.

“Europe has had a variable snow season for the last few years so for clients concerned about snow quality it’s a great option as we can pretty much put a snow guarantee on Tremblant,” asserts Snowfinders’ Edwards. He adds that the Canadian hospitality is another selling point. “It’s not like the ‘cattle market’ experience you can sometimes get in France during half-term weeks.”

Tomos Cross, worldwide sales consultant at Trailfinders, says it’s a good option for clients who have skied in Europe and want to try something different for a big family holiday. “As there are long-haul airfares involved it is generally families looking to make it their main getaway. By including additional activities such as husky dog-sledding, which was a real trip highlight for me, and a city break in Montreal, you can make this seem far more than a quick ski break.”

Edwards recommends a few points to consider when selling Canada, particularly to clients more used to European ski breaks.

“Keep an eye on the temperatures as it can get very cold, so consider when you book. A plus point is that it’s lower altitude so there’s no altitude sickness. For those travelling with kids, Quebec is on the east coast so the journey time is shorter and the time difference is less than when travelling to the likes of Whistler, so there’s less jetlag too.”

City slicking

Having experienced Montreal on the trip, the agents recommend tagging on a couple of days in the city.

Ski Independence’s Moodie says: “The service and friendliness continued here with bonus points to Intercontinental for their hospitality. Renaissance would also be brilliant for younger adults.

“Despite it being -17C in Montreal the walking tour was really interesting. It was good to see how the underground city works.”

Trailfinders’ Cross adds: “Montreal was such a vibrant city, with lots to offer. There are lots of winter festivals going on if you time it right too. I don’t think many clients realise what’s in Montreal.”

Edwards highlights the range of experiences on offer: “Old Montreal is really beautiful. There’s ice hockey, great food with a French flair, shopping and the Montreal Tower at the Olympic Park, which overlooks the city.”