Pursuit (company)
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Attractions, Hospitality, Travel and Tourism |
| Predecessor | Viad Corp |
| Founded | January 1, 2025 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Canada, United States, Iceland, Costa Rica |
| Products | Attractions, lodging, dining, retail outlets, transportation services |
Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, Inc. operates as an international company specializing in attractions and hospitality, with a presence in Canada, the United States, Iceland, and Costa Rica. The company owns and oversees a variety of experiences including attractions, lodging, dining, retail outlets, and transportation services primarily situated around the Canadian Rockies—covering locations such as Banff, Jasper, and Waterton—in addition to areas in Alaska near Denali, Kenai Fjords National Park, Talkeetna, Montana’s Glacier National Park, Iceland, and Costa Rica’s Arenal region.
Among the notable attractions managed by Pursuit in Banff and Jasper are the Banff Gondola, Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise, Columbia Icefield Adventure along with the Skywalk, Maligne Lake Cruise, Brewster Sightseeing tours, and the Jasper Skytram. The company also holds ownership of British Columbia’s Golden Skybridge and the historic Prince of Wales Hotel located in Waterton.
Within its Glacier Park Collection, Pursuit provides various lodging options including Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Glacier Park Lodge at East Glacier, St. Mary Village, Belton Chalet, Glacier Basecamp Lodge, Paddle Ridge, Motel Lake McDonald, Lake McDonald Lodge, as well as Apgar Village Lodge and Cabins. Additionally, it controls Glacier Raft Co. and Glacier Anglers & Outfitters near Glacier National Park.
The Alaska Collection features properties such as Denali Backcountry Lodge and Adventure, Denali Cabins, Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, Seward Windsong Lodge, Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge, along with Kenai Fjords Tours.
On the international front, Pursuit operates Iceland’s Sky Lagoon geothermal attraction and has recently added Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa located in Costa Rica’s Arenal area to its portfolio.
Originally part of Viad Corp, Pursuit became an independent publicly traded entity on December 31, 2024, following Viad’s divestiture of its convention services division (GES). Viad Corp traces its origins back to The Greyhound Corporation, which was founded by Eric Wickman—the creator of Greyhound Lines. Greyhound expanded into the travel and leisure industry with its 1981 purchase of Glacier Park, Inc., laying the groundwork for Pursuit’s current focus on delivering immersive travel experiences within renowned natural settings.
Motor Transit Corporation (1926)
Viad Corp began as Motor Transit Corporation in 1926 when intercity bus operators Eric Wickman and Orville Caesar merged several bus companies. This consolidation established the basis for what later became Greyhound Lines.
The Greyhound Corporation (1930)
By 1930, more than 100 bus lines had been unified under the new name The Greyhound Corporation. The Greyhound brand originated from a Wisconsin bus route and soon became representative of both the network and its parent company.
Eric Wickman stepped down as president in 1946 and was succeeded by Orville Caesar. Wickman passed away in 1954; Caesar died in 1965.
In 1954, Greyhound formed Greyhound Financial Corporation to support its business activities. Throughout the 1960s, the company diversified into areas such as financial services (Travelers Express), food and consumer goods (Armour and Company), foodservice operations (Prophet Company), restaurant chains (Horne's), airport-related services (Aircraft Services International), and ocean cruising (Premier Cruise Line). The acquisition of Glacier Park, Inc. occurred in 1981.
Greyhound exited the transportation industry by selling Greyhound Lines in 1987. By that time, The Dial Corporation—which originated as a subsidiary of Armour and Company—had become its largest division.
Greyhound Dial Corporation (1990) / The Dial Corp (1991)
In 1990, the firm adopted the name Greyhound Dial Corporation, followed by a change to The Dial Corp in 1991. After these rebrandings, its consumer products segment operated under the title The Dial Corp Consumer Products Group.
The organization divested from the financial services sector in 1992 by selling GFC Financial Corporation, which encompassed Greyhound Financial along with its affiliated subsidiaries.
GFC Financial transformed into The FINOVA Group, Inc. in 1995; however, FINOVA filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 and was ultimately dissolved by 2009.
Viad Corp (1996)
In 1996, the company underwent a division, separating the Dial consumer goods division into an independent entity named the new Dial Corporation. The remaining business was renamed Viad Corp, concentrating on airline catering through Dobbs International Service, aircraft fueling and ground operations via Aircraft Service International, convention and exhibit management through GES Exposition Services and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, concession management with Glacier Park, Inc., contract food services by Restaura, Inc., ocean cruising via Premier Cruise Lines, duty-free retail managed by Greyhound Leisure Services, travel services including Brewster Transport, Jetsave, Crystal Holidays, as well as payment processing through Travelers Express.
By the early 2000s, Viad had divested most of its units except for travel and recreation businesses such as Brewster Transport and Glacier Park, along with convention and event service providers GES Exposition Services and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur. In 2015, these segments were renamed GES and Pursuit respectively.
Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, Inc. (2025-present)
On October 21, 2024, Viad reached an agreement to sell GES to Truelink Capital, finalizing the deal on December 31, 2024. After completing this transaction, Viad rebranded itself as Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, Inc. (NYSE: PRSU), positioning the company as a dedicated attractions and hospitality enterprise with strategic emphasis on expanding within the travel and recreation industries.