When 12 travel advisors from the UK, New Zealand and Australia toured Canada during the Vancouver leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in March, TravelManagers’ Kristie Peters was among them.
The representative for Glenroy, VIC, Peters took part in a week-long famil hosted by Adam Hanmer from Tourism Canada’s UK office, one of three Aussie participants.
“Getting to experience the atmosphere of the Sevens Tournament in Vancouver … was a real highlight,” she said, “but I’ll definitely be making a return visit [to Vancouver] because there’s so much on offer, I feel I’ve only scratched the surface.”
In Vancouver, the group divided their time between taking in the fun, colour and excitement of the Sevens matches and taking in many of the other attractions this vibrant city has to offer.
“The city is just incredible, and everywhere we went the locals were so friendly,” said Peters, who loved Stanley Park. “Vancouver is such a walkable city, or you have the option of hiring a bike, and I loved exploring the park’s nine-kilometre seawall path, breathing the clean, fresh air and soaking up the views.”
Peters says she was also impressed by the eco-friendly aspirations and active lifestyle offered by the destination, with an abundance of organic food and fresh food markets in the heart of the city – something the group was able to appreciate first-hand during a Foodie Tour of Granville Island Market.
“The foodies tour of the markets is an absolute must – I can definitely see why it’s one of the most popular activities for visitors to Vancouver. As well as amazing food, I loved the street performers and live music – it’s a great spot for people-watching in general.”
After four nights in Vancouver, the group boarded a flight to the city of Kelowna, where they spent two full days sampling the various attractions of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley wine region.
“For me, the standout was Mission Hill Winery,” Peters said, “the beautiful grounds, the architectural building, the sommelier and of course the wine – the grandeur of this place was insane.”
The famil also provided the group with the opportunity to try snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing for a morning, after which their efforts were rewarded with a well-earned lunch at Apex Ski Resort’s Gunbarrel Saloon, which has been rated as Canada’s best apres-ski bar. Their accommodation for the night was at Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa, in the heart of one of Canada’s most unique regions.
