expense , but the concept of an anniversary tour filled coaches .
I joined NTA in 1983 to get ideas for itineraries offered by other companies , and throughout the next decade , sightseeing tours , cruises , theater trips and international excursions became our focus . During that time , our anniversary tours to Reno became more elaborate and expensive , but customers did still see value in these events .
For a few years we celebrated our anniversary in Spokane , Washington , usually tied to a musical at the theater . Planning for our 25th anniversary in 1997 , a bold and almost reckless idea came to mind : Maybe we could sell a ship full of people .
I approached Holland America Line and chartered the Rotterdam for a fourday cruise on the BC coast . The terms were downright scary : a deposit of $ 50,000 to be paid 18 months in advance and an irrevocable letter of credit for the balance of $ 450,000 . This meant we could not cancel the charter for any reason ; if sales bombed , I was on the hook for a lot of money .
We announced the 25th anniversary tour on the drive home from Spokane in 1995 and took over 200 bookings that day . To my great relief , we were completely sold out a year in advance , with 1,100 passengers .
The 25th anniversary cruise was a momentous achievement , but I have never been brave enough to try a ship charter again . And because of the work and organization required , we started celebrating Wells Gray Tours ’ anniversaries every fifth year .
The 30th anniversary had nearly 500 bookings and traveled on the Rocky Mountaineer train , with a stay at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel . For the 35th anniversary , we filled half of Holland America ’ s Oosterdam for a fourday cruise with stops in Victoria , British Columbia ; Astoria , Oregon ; and Seattle . The 40th anniversary attracted about 600 customers for a seven-day Alaska cruise on the Zuiderdam .
For the past year preparations have been underway for our 45th anniversary tour , a nine-day cruise to Alaska on the Norwegian Jewel . Since the itinerary was similar to the 40th anniversary , I changed cruise lines and booked Norwegian because of their major presence at NTA .
I think the Norwegian group department was a little startled when we requested 300 staterooms , since they were used to tour operators wanting 25 . Our Canadian contact with Norwegian , Sabrina
Greca , went to bat for us , even though we had booked only one previous cruise with the company . I wish I could have been a fly on the wall at Miami headquarters when our bookings exceeded the 300 staterooms and we asked for more .
Marketing an anniversary tour requires different tactics than a regular tour , since we want to sell to hundreds of people
Neave , right , with his driver during a tour in 1973 .
and attract early bookings . The 45th anniversary was announced on June 1 , 2016 , with a mailing to more than 6,000 regular customers . We gave away free staterooms to local media in exchange for the interviews and contests they conducted . One radio station put us on the air six times a day and garnered more than 2,000 contest entries . The publicity was well worth the cost of a stateroom .
We offered an early-booker discount of $ 80 for every reservation received in June , and everybody who booked by July 31 was entered in a drawing for a free upgrade to a Haven suite . ( The winner had been in an inside stateroom and was thrilled to move to the second-best suite on the ship ). We had subsequent drawings for early-bookers , with winners choosing a helicopter or hovercraft excursion in Juneau .
During anniversary tours we have bronze , silver and gold rewards for customers who have taken 15 , 25 or 50 tours , respectively , and all 100-plus of them are invited to special dinners hosted by our family and senior managers . This year we are introducing a diamond level for customers who have traveled more than 70 times with us ; six will be recognized on the ship .
So that others don ’ t feel left out , we have a party for first-time customers and one for those who have traveled between two and 15 times . Another party is for the entire group . Norwegian is providing their unlimited beverage package , so I ’ m sure there will be lots of happy times on the ship .
Based on our success since 1982 , I think anniversary tours can work for most tour operators who have longevity to boast about . Make it unique , don ’ t run it too often , start promoting a year in advance , don ’ t plan too many other tours within that month and provide lots of opportunities for socializing . Your owner should be front and center at every event because customers love to meet the boss .
Our staff soon will start debating what to do for our half-century milestone . Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I have spent 50 years in this wonderful industry . As I look back on our fledgling year of 1972 , I wonder what my career might have been if BC Hydro had not wanted to build those dams in Wells Gray Park .
Roland Neave is founder and owner of Wells Gray Tours , headquartered in Kamloops , British Columbia .
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