Team members: Cecilia Martinez

Rina Aizawa
Janine Castro
Leon Pilz
Camila Cona

Course: Business Excellent Team Communication

Synopsis: ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
Background: .............................................................................................................................................. 2
Vision:........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Mission: ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Values:....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Organization chart .................................................................................................................................... 3
Macro and Micro environmental factors: ..................................................................................................... 4
Strengths (Micro): ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Weaknesses (Micro):................................................................................................................................. 4
Opportunities (Macro): ............................................................................................................................. 4
Threats (Macro): ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Findings: ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
Discussion: .................................................................................................................................................... 5
Recommendation:......................................................................................................................................... 6
Conclusion: .................................................................................................................................................... 7

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Synopsis:

The purpose of this case study is to analyze the management practices of West Trek, particularly in team
management and employee integration. Also, we examine the strategies applied by West Trek to maintain
competitiveness in the adventure tourism industry by offering affordable prices to young people, students
and everyone who likes adventures, while also ensuring customer satisfaction.

Introduction:

Background:
Dedicated adventurers launched West Trek Tours in 1995. Their first goal was to introduce students and
young people to stunning nations through a low-cost travel strategy. They also created an ideology called
the "Wolf Pack." It entails honouring the breathtaking natural vistas they see and reflecting on our impact
on the earth and the legacy we wish to leave for future generations. Discover Canada joined West Trek in
2018. In 2020, West Trek Tours and Club ESL amalgamated, and West Trek Tours started conducting
business. Since they were concentrating on ESL (English as a Second Language) activities for students.

In addition, Discover Canada Tours, a Vancouver-based family-run travel company, is the parent firm of
West Trek. Clint Drdul and Stacey Thorson are the proprietors. They are intrepid travellers who have seen
a lot of the world and Canada. They are thrill-seekers themselves and represent the company's
philosophy.

Vision:
West Trek's vision is to offer once-in-a-lifetime adventures and engaging experiences at the best price to
dreamers, thrill-seekers, and adventure aficionados. They so seek to provide tour participants with a
distinctive Canadian experience.

Mission:
In this organization, dedicated tour guides delight in regaling customers with captivating and amusing
tales encompassing their stunning homeland, covering a wide spectrum of topics from history and the
environment to geology. These narratives also encompass quintessentially Canadian experiences like
engaging in spirited games of hockey, savoring barbecue gatherings, and harmonizing around crackling
campfires - all seamlessly integrated into their meticulously crafted tour itineraries.

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Values:

1. Live the Adventure

They believe that you can make the adventure you want happen yourself. Every trip and encounter with
them are guaranteed to be an adventure that you'll never forget. They are passionate about travel and
strive to help international adventurers explore the best of Canada.

2. Teamwork is Dreamwork

They have a diverse group of skills. Each employee in the organization plays a unique role. They have high
expectations and set challenging objectives to accomplish them collectively. Every employee in their
company is dedicated to supporting this ideal and will stop at nothing to ensure that every visitor has a
special and unforgettable experience while on their tours and trips. No matter what the situation they are
always loyal.

3. Go the Extra Mile

They are anticipated to make adventurers have the time of their lives. Every employee in their company
is dedicated to upholding this ideal and will stop at nothing to ensure that every visitor has a special and
unforgettable experience while on their tours and trips. No matter what the cost, they will uphold this
value of theirs.

4. Have Fun Doing It

They are more likely to be productive and less stressed when you provide a favourable image and have a
good mood. The company values a balanced and healthy lifestyle, which is why it does everything in its
power to support its employees in living it.
5. Be Good, Do Good!

By supporting programs that benefit society, the environment, local communities, and the economy, they
are dedicated to enhancing the customer experience and the well-being of their employees. Additionally,
they have a strong commitment to upholding social obligations and practising responsible tourism to
preserve the locations they visit.

Organization chart

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Macro and Micro environmental factors:

Here is West Trek's SWOT analysis:

Strengths (Micro):
o The West Trek team are experienced and passionate guides, with extensive knowledge of the area
and their ecosystem.
o The company offers well-personalized services such as small group tours to ensure the most
enjoyable personal and private experience possible.
- Best of all, West Trek offers memorable and affordable trips for all ages, whether it's partying,
clubbing, hiking, skiing, or staying at some of the most beautiful destinations in Canada. - Strong
customer relationships: The company has a loyal customer base and is recommended by travellers
from all over the world.

Weaknesses (Micro):
o As a small company, West Trek has a limited offering compared to other larger competitors. West
Trek has limited capacity and resources, both in terms of personnel and marketing reach.
o The company has seasonal needs, so it depends on a specific season. For example, skiing is an
activity that West Trek cannot offer in the summer.
o Environmental changes can also impact economic activities, for example, changes in natural areas
due to construction projects.

Opportunities (Macro):
o Increasing tourism trends (8 million tourists per year in Vancouver). The numbers allow West Trek
to grow quickly and at a high level.
o Canada is a very popular destination around the world and for sales reasons, West Trek can offer
more services in Canada throughout the year.
o In a broader context, West Trek can cooperate with other travel companies: cooperate with
restaurants and hotels to bring even better and unique experiences to people.

Threats (Macro):
o An economic downturn could affect travel costs, reducing West Trek's revenue.
o Restrictions in Canadian protected areas: such changes may impact West Trek's capabilities. Such
restrictions can lead to huge losses in company revenue.
o Threat to market share: Unfortunately, West Trek does not have a monopoly position in the
market and therefore there is a risk of large companies entering the same ecotourism sector as
West Trek.

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Findings:

In our interview with West Trek considered many factors like the workers receiving mentoring and
coaching from the managers and the owner of the company. In addition, the workers have the possibility
to grow inside the company.

They do some funny team-building activities to firm up their values and mission, for example, Bingo Night,
Summer and Hallway parties, and trivia games. All those kinds of activities help people to know each other
better and feel part of the company like family not just like a worker more. The co-founders are very
interested in rewarding their employees because they really appreciate their work.

Other activities that they do is have training every month or every 2 weeks because for West Trek
everyone has a general idea about what they are doing and they can help each other, no one knows
everything then is very important to be constantly improving and training.

After we talked with Bryce and Dhalia, they are really aligned with the values, vision and mission of the
company, Dhalia does not just enjoy her job, she really lives the West Trek experience. Bryce transmits
his passion for adventure, and both help others feel the same way.

West Trek differentiates from their competitor in multiples ways. Firstly, by targeting the specific market
segment of international students and young travellers. Secondly, they offer a budget-friendly pricing
strategy to enable them to serve a larger customer base. And thirdly they have stabled partnerships with
educational institutions like ILSC and Greystone to offer their services.

Discussion:

According to the information gathered in the interviews, West Trek has good team management and does
not have any problems at the moment that can be solved. So, for this section, we consider addressing one
of their goals as a company and turning it into a recommendation for them to achieve it, from one of the
workers in the company:

“To be the best tourism company in Western Canada and everybody in the company really believes
in tourism, they love adventures, they loved the tours that we do so by enjoying what we do and
enjoying the tours that we do” (Extracts from the interview)

In order to achieve this goal, it is advisable to consider the idea of expansion thinking if they are one of
the best tour companies in Western Canada, why they don't go beyond that by taking the adventure to
other parts of Canada? This is to prevent them from running the risk of stagnating as a business, to ensure
they don't get stuck our recommendation to the company would be to consider taking steps and open an
office in another province starting in Toronto. Expansion could be the key to productivity gains and higher
profits.

According to the goals “Goals can drive strategy execution but only when they are aligned with strategic
priorities, account for critical interdependencies and enable course corrections as circumstances change.”
(Sill &Sill, 2018, pp.3).
Therefore, if they want to be the best company in the adventure tourism industry, they would not be
concentrated in one place, and by having another office they could exchange travellers who want to get
to know these other cities, and even expand the destinations according to the location of the office.

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This excludes the transfer of clients, West Trek would only have to generate the contact for clients to be
received at the office, in this case Toronto.
Another solution considered that “Goals should be embedded in frequent discussions; ambitious in scope;
measured by specific metrics and milestones; and transparent for everyone in the organization to see it”
(Sill & Sill, 2018, pp. 3).
Conduct a market study that will provide them with information such as-possible locations for branch
offices:

o The number of people passing through the location

Recommendation:
As previously presented, one of the objectives is for West Trek to be one of the largest tourism companies
in Canada, and to begin with we advise opening a branch in Toronto, this way we hope to reach more
international students and travellers, doubling the profit and in the future the opening of more branches
in other Canadian territories. According to Twin (2023) this are some examples to start.

o Market Research: Conduct comprehensive market research to understand the preferences and
demands of tourists in Toronto. Consider what makes Toronto unique in terms of attractions and
tourism activities.
o Strategic Location: Carefully choose the locations for your branches in Toronto. Opt for areas near
tourist attractions, hotels, and high-traffic tourist areas.
o Know the Competition: Study the competition in the tourism industry in Toronto. Understand
what other companies offer and identify opportunities for differentiation.
o Adapt Offerings: Adapt your tours and services to cater to the specific needs and interests of
tourists in Toronto. Offer experiences that highlight what the city has to offer.
o Local Partnerships: Establish partnerships with local hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other
businesses to expand your reach and offer attractive tourism packages.
o Local Marketing: Invest in local marketing to increase awareness of your branches in Toronto. This
may include online advertising, promotional partnerships, and presence at local events.
o Staff Training: Ensure that your staff is well-trained and knowledgeable about the sights and
activities in Toronto. Exceptional customer service is essential.
o Customer Satisfaction: Maintain a constant focus on customer satisfaction and gather feedback
to continuously improve your services.
o Financial Management: Manage your finances carefully when expanding. Plan your budget to
cover initial costs and potential challenges.
o Ongoing Assessment: Monitor the performance of your branches in Toronto closely and be willing
to make adjustments as necessary.

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Conclusion:
We can take some amazing insights into their team management practices, because they start this process
from selecting staff, making sure that the people join is aligned to their values, later they do a constantly
training and feedback because is very important have a global knowledge about the company, other
interesting that we can take is the way that they sort out the problems, they think a good communication
is effectiveness, not only talk for talk, try be assertive, and if don’t make the problems personal, solve
them could be easier.

Expanding them tourism business from Vancouver to Toronto is a significant undertaking with the
potential for great rewards. To realize the dream of becoming Canada's largest tourism company, careful
planning, market research and a commitment to customer satisfaction are essential. By understanding
the unique attractions and preferences of tourists in Toronto, tailoring your offerings, forming local
partnerships and maintaining a strong focus on customer service, you can position your business for
success. With each branch that opens, we must remember that flexibility and the ability to adjust your
strategies are crucial to dealing with the constantly evolving tourism landscape. This expansion not only
represents an opportunity for business growth, but also an exciting opportunity to show the world the
best of Canada, from its stunning natural beauty to its vibrant cultural scenes. By adhering to these
principles, the journey to making West Trek the leading name in Canadian tourism can become a reality.

Bibliography
- Sull, D., & Sull, C. (2018). With goals, FAST beats SMART. MIT Sloan Management
Review, 59(4), 1-11.

- Twin, A. (2023). How to do market research, types, and It's not right
example. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/market-research.asp