Released on December 19, 2017
Saskatchewan offers 651,900 square kilometres of adventure and, in 2017, Saskatchewanderer Andrew Hiltz drove, hiked, climbed and paddled his way across much of the province, taking nearly 75,000 devoted “followanderers” along for the journey of a lifetime.In what could be easily described as the best job ever, Hiltz reflects fondly on his experiences this past year as he prepares to hand over the GoPro to the next wanderer.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with and meet so many incredible people this year, and I will forever cherish the opportunities that this job has provided me,” Hiltz said. “Saskatchewan has exceeded every expectation I could have possibly imagined. I have literally had a smile on my face for 365 days straight.”
Andrew travelled more than 43,000 kilometres, produced 70 videos that received more than 1.8 million views on Facebook and grew the program’s follower base by more than 33 per cent in 2017.
“Our government supports the Saskatchewanderer and the widespread profile the program brings to our province,” Minister Responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan Steven Bonk said. “The tremendous engagement on social media is evidence that people welcome the invitation to experience what Saskatchewan has to offer.”
CAA Saskatchewan returns as the official program sponsor for 2018, having partnered with the program since 2011 when the program began.
“We are very pleased to support a program that not only showcases our province as the best place to live, work and play, but also profiles our people and our businesses,” CAA Saskatchewan President and CEO Fred Titanich said. “2017 was a special year as we celebrated 100 years of dedicated service to our valued members, clients and customers. Andrew Hiltz joined in the celebrations by attending several of the CAA Saskatchewan Celebrate 100 Year parties held at our CAA stores. We look forward to meeting the 2018 Saskatchewanderer who will be provided with a vehicle, gas vouchers, and a CAA Saskatchewan membership for safety and security.”
DirectWest is continuing their partnership into the new year as well, serving as the official search partner of the 2018 Saskatchewanderer for a second year.
“We are extremely proud to continue helping the Saskatchewanderer and Saskatchewanians everywhere search and find what they’re looking for with the Mysask411 Mobile App,” DirectWest President and CEO Keith Jeannot said. “Celebrating our shared local pride, the team at DirectWest looks forward to another year of discovering Saskatchewan through the eyes of a new explorer, showcasing local businesses on Mysask411 from all corners of our diverse province.”
The program is also powered by the partnership between Tourism Saskatchewan and the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy and Parks, Culture and Sport. In January, the new Saskatchewanderer will depart on a year-long tour to showcase the land of the living skies through a fresh lens.
To see first-hand why Saskatchewan is the best place to live, work and play, follow the Saskatchewanderer accounts on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, or visit the website at www.saskatchewanderer.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Katrina Robinson
Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3506
Email: katrina.robinson@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-550-5927