Riding the rolling river

Kootenay Business asks Craig Campbell, the owner of Kimberley Raft Co., what it takes to run a successful tourism operation

You are guaranteed to have fun and get wet when you go white water rafting on the Elk River with Kimberley Raft Co. — Photo courtesy of Kimberley Raft Co.

A short time ago, Kimberley wouldn’t have been considered a tourism-reliant community.

But the tables have turned for this mountain town and the city of Kimberley has worked hard to be internationally and locally recognized as a world-class tourism destination.

Kimberley Raft Co., a guide and tourism outfit in Kimberley, has definitely found its niche market.

Owner Craig Campbell has spent the last 13 years fine-tuning the company to be what it is today.

For Campbell, being self-employed and enjoying what he did everyday was key.

An avid outdoor enthusiast, Campbell has always enjoyed mountain biking, hiking, soccer and ski touring.

Consequently, Campbell attended Thompson Rivers University and there he received his adventure travel guide diploma.

“Having always been a fan of outdoor activities, I looked to see how I could make a career of it,” said Campbell.

The company specializes in high thrill adventures and family oriented trips and during the summer it offers interpretive floats, sport rafting, white water rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking.

Campbell said he primarily sees visitors from western Canada, with many customers from Calgary and Edmonton.

He added that there is a small percentage of people that come from the United States, Europe and Asia.

Kimberley Raft Co. employs four full-time guides and other quality part-time guides.

His philosophy is to hire guides locally so that there is a higher return rate and so that the guides have a greater wealth of knowledge about the area.

According to Campbell, good staff members top his list of assets in terms of running a successful business.

“Great staff that buy into the company brand is key,” said Campbell. “Creating a company culture where people enjoy coming to work means that they will pass that satisfaction on during every trip … Marketing is also key. Many operators focus on their product, and not necessarily on marketing the product. You might have the best river rides in the world, but if you don’t market it, no one will know.”