do business in banff · international artists since the early 1930s. For meeting planners, there are more than 60 impressive facilities to choose from including lecture theatres,

Here you’ll find 16 modern and competitively priced conference hotels offering flexible con-vention, exhibition and meeting spaces, plus another eight hotels that are equipped to host board meetings, brainstorming sessions and workshops. Banff National Park can handle up to 2,000 delegates.

Visitors can’t help but feel inspired at The Banff Centre, a destination for Canadian and international artists since the early 1930s. For meeting planners, there are more than 60 impressive facilities to choose from including lecture theatres, auditoriums, a dance studio and an outdoor amphitheatre.

With over 400 guestrooms, The Banff Centre is a full-service meeting, conference and convention facility as well as a popular off-site venue. The Kinnear Centre’s soaring atriums are perfect for cocktail receptions, and local artists and environmentalists can help facilitate the creative conference experience through workshops or team-building activities. “One of the reasons people choose to come here is

they want to have that exposure to a creative environment,” says Jill Sawyer, media and communications officer.

Perched 750 ft. above the town of Banff, the Rimrock Resort Hotel is an architectural wonder. “The hotel is actually built cascading down the side of Sulphur Mountain,” explains sales manager Stacey-Jo Strombecky. “The bonus for groups is that all rooms have a view – either the alpine forest, where elk and deer wander freely, or a mountain view.”

The CAA/AAA Four Diamond property features two restaurants, two lounges, and 346 rooms including 21 suites. The conference centre offers 18,000 sq.ft. of function space and breakout rooms to accommodate groups of up to 550 people. And the hospitality suite’s wraparound balcony is ideal for meetings, receptions, wine tastings and a range of other exclusive events.

If you’re looking to combine a grand hotel experience with the intimacy of a modern p

Banff Lake Louise Meetings & Incentives is the Destination Marketing Organization for Banff, Lake Louise and Banff National Park. Just one call will get things started: bid presentations and site inspections plus everything you need to know about accommodations, DMCs, transportation, meeting facilities and off-site venues.

Cathy Macdonald Senior Manager, Meetings & Incentives 403.762.0281 [email protected] BanffLakeLouise.com/meetings

Get the AppDownload the official Banff Lake Louse Tourism app and discover listings

for accommodations, dining, seasonal adventures, weather conditions and much more. Free for Blackberry smartphones and Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch

and iPad. therealbanff.com

do business in banff

forget about blah, cookie-cutter conference rooms. banff Lake Louise is all about celebrating the great outdoors, even when you’re inside.

Let’s Get started

Destination Promotion: Banff Lake Louise

Kinnear Centre for Creativity & Innovation

The Fairmont Gold Lounge at the Banff Springs Hotel

Photos: Canadian Tourism Commission (above left); Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

When Annette Brewster started Brewster’s MountView Barbecue almost 40 years ago, she was continuing a six-generation tradition of providing authentic western hospitality. Today, her daughter, Alison Brewster, manages the operation, which is located in a secluded forest area less than 10 minutes from downtown Banff.

Amid the ambience of a roaring central bonfire, MountView serves up hearty, buffet-style meals including a 55-lb. barbecued Alberta hip of beef that is ceremoniously carried into the dining hall on a gleaming pitchfork. Local country and western musicians, fiddlers, a gunfighter show, a First Nations ceremony dance and a mechani-cal calf-roping machine entertain guests.

The venue hosts about 500 in cooler weather and as many as 1,400 in summer. “When the workday’s done, we’re a nice alternative to a formal sit-down dinner. The casual atmosphere makes a big difference. People can really let their hair down and have fun,” says Brewster.

Similarly, Brewster’s brother-in-law, Kevin Stanton, operates the Brewster Cowboy’s Bar-becue and Dance Barn in Lake Louise. Located adjacent to The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the Dance Barn is a casual off-site option where

posters, photos, saddles and other authentic western paraphernalia line the walls of the log construction building in homage to mountain guides and Brewster family cowboys of the past. “The Brewster family has a lot of history when it comes to the mountain guides and other activities within Banff National Park. It’s authentic and it’s real,” Stanton says.

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Authentic Western

Unique VenuesFrom elegant galleries and museums to mountain ski lodges and dance barns, these unique venues of Banff Lake Louise will have guests raving

• Banff Gondola Mountaintop Experience • Cave and Basin National Historic Site• Whyte Museum of The Canadian Rockies • Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon• Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre • Banff Mount Norquay

boutique, the Fairmont Gold Floor at Fairmont’s Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise properties provides that distinctive and personalized service. The dedicated Gold Floors offer private reception and guest lounge, continental breakfast, afternoon canapés and an honour bar. “The Fairmont Gold experience is exactly the same at each of our properties,” says Craig Hudspith, director of group sales, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. “It’s that personal service – the staff will know you by name.” The Chateau is fully accessible and fea-

tures 554 guest rooms and suites, six restaurants and lounges, 36,000 sq.ft. of flexible function space and breathtaking views of the turquoise waters of Lake Louise.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – at 72,000 sq.ft. of function space, 52 meeting rooms and 768 guest accommodations – is Canada’s largest conference resort, says Luke Sunderland, director of sales and marketing.

For groups not booking guest rooms on the dedicated Gold Floors, both Fairmont properties can create a Gold-like experience in other ways. For example, groups can book The Fairmont Banff Springs’s entire Stanley Thompson Wing and enjoy a dedicated entrance, reception desk and lounge. And the added bonus is that the confer-ence centre is right next door. “We have the best of both worlds in terms of history, ambience and functionality,” says Sunderland.

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Try These Fun Themes:

Wild WestKlondike Casino

OktoberfestFire and Ice

Spaghetti Western

Our meeting facilities are fully scalableFor a breathtakingly unique meeting experience, talk to us about your next conference or off-site function.

t: (403) 762-4421 | e: [email protected]

banffnorquay.com

Naturally GreeNBusinesses operating in Banff National Park take environmental stewardship very seriously: more than half of the hotels exceed the minimum guidelines for linen reuse, recycling and energy efficient and water conservation practices; restaurants source from local, organic or sustainable meat and vegetable producers where possible; and local festivals and events aim for zero-waste.

Hotels with Conference and Meeting Space* Banff Park Lodge * Inns of Banff* Banff Rocky Mountain Resort* Buffalo Mountain Lodge* Banff Ptarmigan Inn* Mount Royal Hotel* Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa* Lake Louise Inn

Getting Here Is Easy

Once your flight touches down at Calgary International Airport, Banff is a mere 90-minute drive along the Trans-Canada Highway through the spectacular foothills and Rocky Mountain scenery. It’s your choice: Brewster airport shuttle, rental car, limo, motorcoach or chartered bus.Treat yourself to the door-to-door comfort of the Banff Airporter shuttle service, an environmental partner with Bullfrog Power.

Banff Park loDge

Destination Promotion: Banff Lake Louise

LeFroy Room, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Photos: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (left); Rimrock Resort Hotel

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Rimrock Resort Hotel

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There are some places on earth you just can’t get to by road or trail. A heli-adventure is just the ticket for VIPs and groups who are really serious about getting away from all the distractions. No hustle, no bustle. Just soaring ridges, vast glaciers, alpine lakes and lush flowering meadows.

Banff-based Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) operates 11 mountain lodges in the nearby sub-ranges of the Columbia Moun-tains, two of which – the Bobbie Burns and the Bugaboo lodges – offer summer programs.

From mid-July to mid-September, guests can enjoy the adrenaline rush of a zip line, a day of challenging hiking, or gentler activities such as alpine exploring and tranquil mountaintop yoga. Programs are tailored to the needs and abilities of individual groups, explains Sarah Pearson, sales and media relations manager.

If your group includes mountaineering novices, CMH’s Via Ferrata program offers just the right amount of challenge. “We want our guests to challenge themselves mentally and physically… to push a little outside their comfort zones,” Pearson says.

Old Fort Erie re-enactment

For experienced skiers looking for their next great thrill, all 11 CMH lodges offer heli-skiing and heli-snowboarding adventures during the winter months.

Who says rustic can’t be wired? Banff National Park has an impressive selection of authentic mountain lodges and resorts that are fully equipped for business meet-ings. The experience can be as remote, rustic or luxuri-ous as you like. Consider a backcountry lodge, or buy out Mount Norquay’s entire Cascade Lodge and rent out the ski hill for an evening.

“It’s some people’s dream to stay in a log cabin in the moun-tains. Groups of up to 100 have taken over our whole lodge – 19 cabins and 16 lodge suites,” says Shannon Cavanagh, a co-owner of Baker Creek Moun-tain Resort, located 30 minutes from Banff

and a recipient of the Banff Heritage Tourism Award for its commitment to providing authentic mountain lodging.

Groups will often spend their mornings in the Heritage Conference Centre, says Cavanagh, ski the afternoon,

return for the authentic Rocky Mountain cuisine served in the on-site Bistro, and then end the day with a campfire alongside Baker Creek. “We really get to know the people who come here and we will customize to whatever groups want.”

You’ll find lodges throughout Banff National Park, even on the outskirts of the town of Banff. Buffalo Mountain Lodge, for example, sits on nine wooded acres on Tunnel Mountain, a few minutes from Banff Avenue. The lodge is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts (CRMR) group and offers five full-service meet-ing spaces including the Wapiti Long House featuring a fieldstone log-burning fireplace, balcony and lower-level wine cellar.

“We have a real Rocky Mountain getaway feeling for people who are looking for a high-end lodge experi-ence,” says Martin Parkes, assistant lodge manager.

Renowned for its cuisine, the lodge sources game meats – such as elk and bison – from CRMR’s own Canadian Rocky Mountain Ranch located southwest of Calgary. At the lodge, CRMR also operates a scaled-down version of its Calgary-based Cilantro restaurant, serving Californian/Southwestern-inspired fare.

Retro Cool

Play The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course the way designer Stanley Thompson meant it to be experienced complete with hickory clubs, a personal caddy and 1930s costume.

Rent a heritage bathing suit and “take the waters” at the historic Banff Upper Hot Springs Bath House just like the Gatsby generation used to do.

The Mountain Heritage Guide Program at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise harkens back to 1899 when Swiss mountain guides were employed in the area to lead climbing expeditions. Today, professional guides facilitate adventures for all skill levels, from a leisurely lakeside stroll to full-day hikes.

banff national Park truly belongs to all Canadians. established in 1885 as Canada’s first national park and spanning 2564 sq.mi. of mountains, glaciers, rivers, valleys and forests, it’s also a unesCo World Heritage site. for more than 125 years, the park has attracted adventurers, explorers, environmentalists, artists and entrepreneurs. no matter the budget, your experience can be as rugged or as elegant as you choose.

Old Fort Erie re-enactment

royal treatmentWhen William and Kate – the Duke and Duchess of Cam-bridge – visited Canada last year, they stayed at the remote Skoki Lodge, which was built in 1931 and was Canada’s first backcoun-try lodge. Now owned by The Lake Louise Ski Area Ltd., Skoki’s main building and three private cabins are set amid breathtaking mountain ridges and alpine lakes and can accommodate parties up to 22.

the Lodge experience

High-Flying

Adventure

Destination Promotion: Banff Lake Louise

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Mountain Heritage Guide Program at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Photos: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

Heritage Golf at The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Baker Creek Mountain Resort

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• Central bonfire provides warmth and atmosphere to dance the night away in country and western style

• Open year – round and only 10 minutes from downtown Banff

• The renowned barbecue facility provides a fully licensed bar service and hearty, buffet-style meals and friendly service

Brewster’s renowned service, food and entertainment will ensure groups of a memorable and truly Western experience

A unique and distinctive experience that is certain to be the highlight of your group’s meeting/incentive in Banff

For more information: www.mountviewbbq.com or 1-866-762-0114

Meet in banff Lake Louise? You won’t get any push back from your corporate groups, association delegates or incentives programs. the destination is on most people’s “Must Visit” lists because it offers fantastic activities all year-round.

The gondolas of Banff National Park will whisk you to new heights, anytime of year. Plan a picnic at the peaks, a guided walk or a professional photography session before gliding back down to earth.

The Banff Gondola soars to the top of Sul-phur Mountain where six mountain ranges can be seen from outdoor terraces and the Summit Ridge Interpretive Boardwalk.

During ski season, it takes the Sunshine Village high-speed gondola 17 glorious min-

utes to reach the upper village area where you’ll find three ski mountains – Standish, Lookout and Goat’s Eye. For the non-skier, White Mountain Adventures offers snow-shoeing excursions at Sunshine Meadows.

In spring, the Lake Louise Gondola is one of the best places to spot wild grizzly bears, cougars, lynx, mountain goats, wolves, elk, moose and deer. Ride either an open chair or fully enclosed car to 6850 ft. Stroll from one viewpoint to another, or hike to the summit of Mount Whitehorn.

Go for the Gondolas

BAnFF LAKE LOUISE

Summer: Horseback riding, fishing, authentic voyageur canoe, hiking, mountain biking, rafting

the Bow River, Lake Minnewanka boat tour, championship golf, patio dining

Winter: Skiing, snowboarding, dogsledding, snowshoeing, ice sculpture, sleigh rides,

curling, ice walks, ice-skating, luxury spas, hot springs, shopping

Local faves…

* Baker Creek Bistro

* Balkan Greek Restaurant

* Three Ravens Restaurant &

Wine Bar

* Lake Louise Railway Station

& Restaurant

* Maple Leaf Grill and Lounge

* Saltlik

* Coyotes Southwestern Grill

* The Grizzly House

Do a Dine-Around! Compact and convenient, downtown Banff is packed with dozens of restaurants and bars.

Destination Promotion: Banff Lake Louise

Photos: Banff Lake Louise Tourism and Paul Zizka

Sulphur Mountain boardwalk

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Simple Treasures from Canadian Rocky Mountain ResortsA collaboration between executive chef Alistair Barnes and head chefs from the organization’s lodge and restaurant properties, Simple Treasures showcases regional cuisine and seasonal products. With recipes for local dishes such as Buffalo Tenderloin with Morel Sauce, it’s a great take-away for guests.

Do a Dine-Around!

utes to reach the upper village area where you’ll find three ski mountains – Standish, Lookout and Goat’s Eye. For the non-skier, White Mountain Adventures offers snow-shoeing excursions at Sunshine Meadows.

In spring, the Lake Louise Gondola is one of the best places to spot wild grizzly bears, cougars, lynx, mountain goats, wolves, elk, moose and deer. Ride either an open chair or fully enclosed car to 6850 ft. Stroll from one viewpoint to another, or hike to the

Plain of the Six Glaciers Tea House Ride on Horseback

(Brewster Adventures)

Chocolate Fondue with a View daylong hike

(Great Divide Nature Interpretation)

Soaring Spirit Heli-Yoga (Icef ield & Kananaskis Heli-tours)

Mount Charles Stewart Heli-Hike/Alpine Walk

(Alpine Helicopters Ltd./White Mountain Adventures)

Soak up Canadian Rockies Hot Springs (Parks Canada)

Columbia Icef ield Glacier Adventure

(Brewster Travel Canada)

Johnston Canyon Icewalk (Discover Banff Tours)

Ghosts of Fortune Mountain: Mushing in the Rockies

(Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours)

Signature Experiences

Source: The Canadian Tourism Commission’s Signature Experiences Collection

The Rimrock Resort Hotel

In the Kitchen: Executive chef Ralf Wollmann and Eden Restaurant chef de cuisine David Hassell.

Regional influences: Game meats; Ocean Wise seafood; regional produce and forest mushrooms.

Notable: Eden Restaurant’s French cuisine is Western Canada’s only AAA/CAA Five Diamond dining experience.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

In the Kitchen: Executive chef Martin Luthi.

Regional Influences: Locally sourced items from Fairwinds, Broxburn and Hotchkiss farms as well as gourmet Valbella cured meats and Sylvan Star cheeses.

Notable: All Fairmont hotels offer Lifestyle Cuisine Plus, a menu catering to guests with specific diet-dependent conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and gluten-free, as well as dietary preferences includ-ing macrobiotic, raw and vegan.

Bison Restaurant & Terrace

In the Kitchen: Executive chef Salvatore Polizzi.

Regional influences: Most ingredients are sourced from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan farms special-izing in organic and sustainable practices.

Notable: Alberta AAA Beef Tenderloin; Bison Short Ribs; Hot Cocoa Crème Brûlée.

banff Lake Louise is a mecca for internationally trained chefs who use Canadian rocky Mountain influences in their cooking.

authentic tastes

Destination Promotion: Banff Lake Louise

Eden Restaurant, the Rimrock Resort Hotel

Photo: AMA Travel

The Banff CentreBanff, Alberta, Canada403.762.6435Toll Free: [email protected]

InspIratIon meets hereDiscover The Banff Centre, including the stunning and contemporary Kinnear Centre for Creativity & Innovation, our newest meeting facility.

The Banff Centre’s vibrant and revitalized spaces and inspirational environment will infuse your meetings with creativity and productivity. Begin your organization’s creative journey here. Contact us to receive our meeting planner guide.

www.banffconferences.ca/ignite

It’s not JUSTall about the view.

thebison.ca 213, 211 Bear Street, Banff403-762-5550

Although Banff’s best mountain views speak for themselves, there’s so much more to savour when you bring your groups to the intimate Bison Restaurant & Terrace.

~ Sun drenched mountain view patio complete with fire pit in the wintertime

~ Chef inspired menu using Regional, Seasonal and Canadian ingredients

~ An award winning regionally focused wine list

~ The perfect space for a intimate, Banff experience

~ Capacity – Seated:100 /Cocktail style:150

Old Banff, Rocky Mountain Cultureand Canadian Roots

banffmapleleaf.com137 Banff Ave Box 3150, Banff403.760.7680

For more information contact: Maria Mendelman, Event Coordinator [email protected]@thebison.ca or call 403 760 5088

On Banff Avenue’s busiest corner, this elegant log-cabin style space is an iconic location for your special event.

~ Striking mountain and downtown Banff views

~ An award winning wine list featuring over 600 bottles

~ Set menus using Alberta’s finest produce and protein

~ A variety of private rooms accommodating 12-40 people

~ Capacity – Seated: 200 for dinner

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