Rocky Mountaineer welcomed local media to show them their new downtown Vancouver offices, to talk about the 2017 season, and to showcase their menu, served up by the company’s Michelin-trained chefs.

“It’s an exciting new chapter for us,” said Steve Sammut, president of Rocky Mountaineer. “We just started our 28th operating season and we like to think of ourselves as a genuine and quintessential Canadian experience and we are proud to showcase Western Canada.”

“We’ve seen double digit growth over the last five years and our plans over the next five years call for double digit growth,” he continued.

Rocky Mountaineer is the largest privately owned luxury tourist train in the world, welcoming more than 1.7 million guests since 1990.

The company is in the midst of its largest capital investment, adding 10 single-level dome cars to its SilverLeaf service and upgrading the GoldLeaf bi-level dome cars. There is also an agreement in place for the delivery of 10 more bi-level dome cars by the 2018 operating season.

Rocky Mountaineer is a major economic attractor to British Columbia, Sammut shared, noting it books about 50,000 room nights a year, with 80 per cent of its guests coming from outside Canada, staying an average of 14 days, and only two to three of which are on the train.

Most of its Canadian business is booked through travel agents said Graham Cove, senior director, Global Sales Operations, recommending agents contact the Sales Centre for assistance.

“We know that not all Canadian travel agents are western Canadian experts so we have them here,” he noted. “If you’re trying to put something together and you’re not sure about the right fit for your clients, call. We’re there to be the expert for your customers.”

Rocky Mountain runs two levels of service: GoldLeaf Service and SilverLeaf Service, between mid-April and mid-October along historic routes between Vancouver and the Rockies. Onboard cuisine is prepared by Michelin-trained chefs using locally sourced products, with SilverLeaf featuring seat-side dining service and GoldLeaf a separate dining level and expanded menu.

There are four all daylight itineraries: First Passage to the West, which travels between Vancouver and Lake Louise or Banff; Journey through the Clouds, which runs from Vancouver to Jasper; Coastal Passage, travelling from Seattle to Jasper, Lake Louise or Banff; and Rainforest to Gold Rush, running between Vancouver and Jasper via Whistler and Quesnel.

As for Rocky Mountaineer’s new office, it houses 200 of the company’s 275 year-round employees and features natural daylight from floor to ceiling windows, sit/stand desks, and plenty of meeting and breakout spaces.

“We’re trying to create a fantastic environment for our employees,” said Sammut. “We want somewhere where they are proud to work, somewhere they can be inspired, engaged and excited and absolutely come in to do their best.”

Rocky Mountaineer has been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies since 2014, Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employer for three consecutive years; and Business of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada in 2015. From a global persective, it’s also been named “One of the World’s Ultimate Experiences” by Lonely Planet; “One of the World’s Greatest Trips” by National Geographic Traveler; and “World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” at the World Travel Awards.

Visit the Rocky Mountaineer website for more information.

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