VANCOUVER — Discover Canada Tours is marking its 20th anniversary in 2025 with what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest years in the company’s history, as demand for Canadian vacations soars.

The family-owned and operated Vancouver-based tour company specializes in quintessential Western Canada travel experiences, with a range of adventures available across B.C., Alberta, the Yukon and more.

DCT’s five brands include the Extraordinary Experiences Collection, offering small escorted tours and self-drive itineraries that immerse travellers into spectacular nature and regional cultures beyond the classic touring experience.

DCT is onboard with agents, with more and more outreach to the trade every year – and, of course, commissions too. DCT has roots in retail travel: Stacey Thorson, DCT’s founder, is the daughter of Doug and Dianne Revell, who own Vancouver’s Uniglobe Specialty Travel (where their other daughter, Kelly, is GM). Kelly’s husband Clint Drdul, co-founded DCT with Stacey under the Uniglobe brand in 2005.

DCT’s GM Jaimie Rogers, himself a former travel agent, says the company’s strategy to grow the travel advisor distribution channel “has significantly increased trade bookings, with travel advisor bookings now representing a growing portion of our domestic sales.”

Read on for more updates from DCT …

Travelweek: What are you seeing in terms of bookings right now?

Campbell River, B.C. (photo credit Lisanne Smeele)

Rogers: “We’re definitely experiencing a significant increase in Canadians choosing to travel domestically this year, directly related to ongoing trade tensions with the U.S.

“Year-to-date, we’ve already seen domestic bookings grow by about 30% compared to last year. This is certainly the trade war that nobody wanted, but hopefully, some positives can come from it.

“During the pandemic, Canadians rediscovered our parks and realized how amazing the green spaces are across the country. I believe these trends have continued. Let’s hope that through this ‘Elbows Up Tourism’ movement, Canadians will remember how stunning and diverse our country truly is, seeking experiences that are both accessible and distinctly Canadian.

“With domestic travel being so accessible, we are experiencing a substantially shorter booking curve for domestic trips. Overseas travellers often book 120+ days out, but domestic bookings can occur much later, presenting additional opportunities for Canadian travel advisors to support last-minute travel plans for their clients.”

Travelweek: What are you hearing from your customers about avoiding U.S. travel?

Rogers: “Canadians are taking pride in using their travel spend to express their displeasure with the current rhetoric. We’re hearing a lot of positivity from our customers about their desire to actively support Canadian-owned and operated businesses.

“As a proudly Canadian, family-run tour operator, we’ve noticed travellers are intentionally choosing domestic destinations to keep their travel spend within Canada, helping support local economies and contributing positively towards the Canadian Tourism industry. Travellers value the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Canadian communities through their travel choices.”

Travelweek: As a former travel advisor you know all about the gap between Canadians booking Canada travel, and using a travel advisor. Most agents assume Canadians will book domestic product direct, and thatʻs a fair assumption. How has Discover Canada Tours been reaching out to Canadian agents to let them know about your product? Is it resulting in more bookings from the trade? What do you offer agents?

Rogers: “Having been a travel advisor myself, I understand the assumption that Canadians typically book domestic trips directly. However, Discover Canada Tours has been proactively engaging with Canadian travel advisors to bridge this gap.

“As a relatively small operator focused solely on Western Canada, we pride ourselves on providing very hands-on support to all of our agent partners, ensuring the best possible experience for their clients.

“We’ve strengthened our relationships with agencies such as Flight Centre, Ensemble and Uniglobe, and also reached out directly to independent travel advisors nationwide through targeted webinars, personalized outreach, and familiarization tours.

“This proactive approach has significantly increased trade bookings, with travel advisor bookings now representing a growing portion of our domestic sales.

“Additionally, with our target market predominantly in the 50-70 age range, many prefer not to travel independently. Joining a small group tour like ours allows them to travel comfortably alongside like-minded travellers without worrying about navigating busy roads and logistics.

“We offer competitive commissions, exclusive fam trip opportunities, training resources, and dedicated support to advisors to ensure they feel confident and enthusiastic about offering our tours.”

Travelweek: What are some hidden gems Canadians might not realize are in their own backyard?

Rogers: “Selling the Rockies is as easy as it gets, but stopping in Clearwater on our trips is a hidden gem that not many travellers have experienced. Wells Gray Provincial Park is a truly magical place, famous for its numerous waterfalls, earning it the nickname ‘Canada’s Waterfall Park.’ Wells Gray has 41 waterfalls, including some of Canada’s most breathtaking falls, Helmcken Falls, Spahats Falls and Canim Falls, to name just a few.

“Additionally, we offer a stunning eight-day trip around Vancouver Island, visiting key locations such as Victoria and Tofino, but also spending valuable time in Campbell River, an up-and-coming destination. Campbell River offers exceptional whale watching, grizzly viewing, and the beautiful Elk Falls. If you haven’t experienced it yet, I highly recommend it!”

For more details see DiscoverCanadaTours.com