The pages of local history just got a new line written by a father and son combination with lifelong ties in the North Thompson Valley.
Revered Wells Gray Park advocate and author of Exploring Wells Gray (seventh edition) and owner of Wells Gray Tours, Roland Neave, was recently honoured by his peers in the tourism industry in Shreveport, Louisiana in mid Nov. The Bob Everidge Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Neave by the National Tour Association (NTA) in recognition of his achievements in the travel and tourism industry.
Neave shared his feelings about the honour with Black Press, saying, “I was thrilled to be invited on to the stage in front of 700 tour operators and tourism suppliers from all over the world. Jerry Varner, chair of NTA, presented the award and there was even a standing ovation. I spoke briefly about the founding of Wells Gray Tours in Wells Gray Park 51 years ago, and the near flooding of Helmcken Falls in the 1970s. I am very proud to receive this award from my peers in the travel industry.”
The tourism operator and author’s son Fraser was also on hand during the convention to celebrate his father’s accomplishments in tourism. Fraser was then elected as the new chair of the NTA for 2024 with Neave saying, “that is a story in itself” about father and son sharing this memorable time together.
Notably, Neave and his wife Anne were presented with honourary doctorates from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in 2022 for their advocacy in preserving nature and their philanthropy towards further education via a large donation of 160 acres of land in Wells Gray Park to be used educationally by the university.
The Exploring Wells Gray author’s career path in tourism covers 50 years of dedicated service in association with the NTA having served in leadership positions within the organization since the early ‘80s.
Wells Gray Tours was founded by Neave in 1972, inspired by his desire to protect the natural environment and share his own explorations in Wells Gray Park.
Neave’s remarkable journey traces back to the origins of Wells Gray Tours in 1972, stemming from a profound love for nature and a fervent desire to safeguard the environment. The Neave family has a long history of educating the public on the many wonders within the park by offering guided tours throughout the years, and the company now runs trips from British Columbia to all seven continents.
In 1972, plans were underway to build seven dams in Wells Gray Park, one of which would have partly flooded famed Helmcken Falls which is known as the fourth highest waterfall in Canada. Neave was a member of an environmental organization that decided to protest the dams by running bus tours to show people the park’s many wonders. They created such an outcry that the dams were cancelled.
In the following three years, Neave and several university friends carried on arranging tours of Wells Gray Park.
Notably, Neave’s involvement with NTA roles such as serving as a panelist for NTA seminars, contributing to the Canadian members’ committee, and coordinating NTA events, including the 2007 Spring Meet held in Kelowna.
Wells Gray Tours initiatives continue to support sustainable educational projects such as the Certified Tour Professional (CTP) program to community-focused projects such as the Pledge A Pencil, Sharpen A Future campaign and the annual environmental donation program, A Portion For The Planet.
The Neave family’s philanthropic endeavours include substantial endowments to Thompson Rivers University, the donation of private land for a research field station, and funding of Wells Gray Park’s naturalist program and trail crew underscore their dedication to education, environmental protection, and community well-being.