Latest news with #Xanterra
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
J-1 student workers essential for summer hiring
Jun. 1—There were murmurings of different languages amongst stacks of suitcases at the Xanterra office in Columbia Falls. It was a cool, rainy day, and J-1 student workers from around the world were getting their first impression of Montana. Assistant Director of Human Resources Christine Wright said it's an exciting time of year as they welcome the student workers into the fold. "I love it when they arrive and it's all new to them. They're so excited and they've done tons of research. "But they get here, and it's still just like, 'Wow, all the pictures and information I looked up still doesn't tell the whole story," she said. The J-1 visa, also known as the Exchange Visitor Visa or J student visa, is for anyone outside of the U.S. who wishes to take part in study and work-related exchange programs. The program aims to foster global understanding through educational and cultural exchanges, according to BridgeUSA, the agency which oversees J-1 visas for the U.S. Department of State. Companies in Northwest Montana see bringing in J1 student workers as a win-win: students from abroad get a taste of American culture and a chance to work in beautiful scenery, while companies fill necessary positions before the hustle and bustle of summertime. To participate in the Exchange Visitor Program, foreign nationals must be sponsored by one of the State Department-designated sponsors, according to BridgeUSA. Sponsors are responsible for screening and selecting those eligible for participation in their designated exchange visitor program, as well as supporting and monitoring exchange visitors during their stay here. Once someone obtains a DS-2019 form from a sponsor, they can apply for a J-1 visa at their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. According to BridgeUSA, Montana had more than 2,700 J-1 workers in 2023, the latest available data. While Montana boasts many job opportunities in tourism, states like California and New York saw around 27,000 J-1 workers that same year. The agency reports that J-1 visa participants come to the U.S. from more than 200 countries and that 54% of them are female. Director of Human Resources Victoria Nix said Xanterra works with companies that operate in student's home countries, which collaborate with American sponsor agencies to advertise the Visitor Exchange Program abroad. "We don't talk directly to the universities or to the students at first, those in-country agencies are working with our sponsor to do all of that first recruiting and talk about the program. Then there's almost like a job board, where we create profiles and share information about our jobs, and they can select us as a host employer from those lists," she said. Xanterra is hiring 240 student workers for the upcoming summer season in Glacier National Park. Nix said these employees cover a critical time during the shoulder seasons, when college students haven't arrived yet in May and when they leave in August to return to school. There is a big effort to hire domestically too, as that's where they hire the majority of their employees. But, having J-1s to cover the beginning and end of the season is critical. "I don't think that we would be able to remain open without our BridgeUSA students. We have about 750 seasonal employees, so we're still hiring about 600 domestic employees every summer, but those students supplement all of our operations," she said. Whitefish Mountain Resort has been hiring J-1 workers since 2005, according to Public Relations Manager Chad Sokol. He said part of the process of hiring J-1s is showing the State Department that the company has tried to hire domestically. "There's a variety of factors, including application patterns from current and past seasons, so we know which departments tend to have the biggest staffing needs. We're very often in need of housekeepers, for instance," Sokol said. He said the program helps fill positions that would otherwise go unfilled. It's why Whitefish Mountain Resort Human Resource Director Kristi Hanchett wrote a letter to congressional representatives earlier this month asking them for continued support of the program. She wrote that without a doubt, if the resort wasn't able to hire J-1 visa holding employees in the future, the needs of guests would not be met. She referenced the summer of 2021 when the resort only hired eight J-1 employees and had to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays due to lack of staff. "It's been an incredibly rewarding program for us, our business and the visiting students, many of whom choose to return for multiple seasons. They are valued members of the Whitefish Mountain Resort team, and we appreciate the wealth of experiences they bring to the mountain," Sokol said. The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration has brought up questions about the future for the Exchange Visitor Visa program. While Xanterra is watching the issue closely, Nix said there hasn't been an increase in visa denials, just the occasional question from applicants. Sokol said the resort hasn't had any hiring issues either. "I think our students coming in are still really excited ... but I definitely think this is an important year to continue advocacy for the program," she said. Working with CIEE, Whitefish Mountain Resort hired 40 J-1 visa holders from Jamaica, Spain and Romania for the summer season. Typically, the resort hosts about 75 visa holders each winter and has begun the hiring process for the 2025-26 ski season, Sokol notes. The country that sends the most students to work for Xanterra in Glacier National Park is Thailand, according to Nix. She said that's because the dates available best match what applicants are looking for and that it's a good fit culturally. Glacier National Park is also known to go viral on TikTok, which helps with hiring — Nix said it's something candidates often bring up in interviews. Though Thailand is the top sending country, the company also works with students from Bulgaria, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Romania, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine, among others. Nix said Xanterra hiring staff have gone on several trips to the top sending countries in recent years, where they learned more about cultures and met potential hires face-to-face. Some of the students show up and immediately look for Nix, because they are eager to see a familiar face. "A lot of times they bring us gifts from their countries, which is really cute, like a little tea or candy, something small," she said. "But yeah, it's a really fun reunion when we get to see them again. Two girls that were checking in this morning poked their head in my office and were like 'Hi, Victoria! Do you remember us?' I was like, 'Yeah!'" Preferences of the workers are considered during placement within the park. Nix said those who are very eager to hike and backpack typically love Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, while those who want to be a little closer to town prefer Lake McDonald Lodge. There's a draw in working at the beautiful Many Glacier Hotel for some hires, and Nix said it's one of the most requested locations. Once they arrive, summer starts rolling fast for these exchange workers. Students are taken to rodeos and firework shows on the Fourth of July, among other activities, to show-off American culture. But the exchange goes both ways with U.S. employees learning about their coworker's culture. It's the kind of closeness that comes with working side-by-side all summer long, Nix said. "It's always a 'cry-fest' on our check out days, because everyone forms really strong friendships. They're working with everyone every day," Nix said. "So, on big checkout days, if you drive up on property, you'll just see hordes of employees, both domestic and international, all hugging and crying and maybe kissing — whatever the nature of the relationship was." While they occasionally get homesick, Nix said the students generally have good sentiments about their time in Glacier National Park. They may be happy to come back another summer or already have plans with their coworkers to come visit them in their home country. While the Visitor Exchange Program may solve a lot of logistical issues for hiring managers in Northwest Montana, Nix said her favorite part of the program is the connections made by employees. "It's really beautiful to see another human being, person-to-person, and to maybe learn their country's games or share food with them or tell stories around a campfire," Nix said. "So, I think it's good for global diplomacy and global citizenship, because it's bringing people from all over the world together in a beautiful place like Glacier." Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4440 or by emailing tinman@
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Phantom Ranch to open after 3 months. How to book Grand Canyon's most exclusive lodge
Grand Canyon National Park's most sought-after lodging experience is back in business after a three-month closure. Phantom Ranch, the rustic lodge nestled along Bright Angel Creek, reopened on Tuesday, April 1. It was closed since Jan. 2 to allow the installation of new water and electric lines, according to park staff. The lodge and canteen are open, but mule rides are still on hold. Phantom Ranch is in high demand because it's the only lodging at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. To get a reservation, people must enter a lottery 14 months ahead of when they want to go there. Here's what travelers should know about Phantom Ranch reopening. Yes. Cabins at Phantom Ranch reopened on April 1. The cabins vary in size and accommodate two to 10 people. Each one contains beds, a cold water sink, a toilet, liquid soap and hand towels. Showers, bath towels, hot water sinks and liquid soap/shampoo are in a separate bath house. Phantom Ranch's hiker dormitories remain closed. The canteen, which serves breakfast and dinner for guests with reservations, also reopened. Breakfast ($32.84) includes scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon or sausage, fruit salad, juice, coffee and tea; dinner includes steak ($64.82), beef stew ($46.24) or vegetable stew ($43.47). Stronghold Engineering, the contractor working on the $208 million Transcanyon Waterline project, installed new water and electric lines and performed what was described as "extensive excavation work" in the Phantom Ranch area. The Transcanyon Waterline delivers water to the inner canyon and the South Rim. Project work like the new line installations at Phantom Ranch are designed to improve its reliability, and park spokeswoman Joelle Baird said it could prevent future closures of the lodge related to breaks in the line. Park staff said there were 85 major breaks in the line disrupting water delivery since 2010. When breaks occur, it requires water restrictions and conservation measures that include closing hotels and lodges. Xanterra Travel Collection, a concessionaire of the National Park Service, operates Phantom Ranch. Xanterra also runs the historic El Tovar Hotel and the Bright Angel, Kachina, Thunderbird and Maswik lodges at the Grand Canyon's South Rim. A cabin for two people at Phantom Ranch costs $222 plus tax per night; additional people cost $21.50 each. Phantom Ranch also has a group cabin that can accommodate 10 people available for $355.20 plus tax per night. As the only lodging at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, demand for stays at Phantom Ranch is higher than supply. Guests must enter a lottery for Phantom Ranch bookings 14 months before their planned trip. The April 2025 lottery is for reservations in June 2026. The lottery for July 2026 will begin May 1, 2025. The Phantom Ranch lottery, which is free to enter, starts on the first day and ends on the 25th day of every month. You can enter starting at 12:01 a.m. MST on the first day of each month at Xanterra processes the submissions and notifies winners of the lottery. Then guests can book and guarantee their reservations. Any unsold or unclaimed reservations are released to general availability a year before the stays. For example, June 2026 stays — unless they sell out in the lottery — would be available for general sale June 1, 2025. Looking for the best things to do in Arizona? Sign up for our newsletter. Guests can stay at Phantom Ranch for up to four consecutive nights per reservation, according to Xanterra. Like the lottery for Phantom Ranch reservations, the hike from the South Rim to Phantom Ranch is a challenge. It's about a 7.5-mile hike down via the South Kaibab Trail, taking about four to five hours on average. The hike down is 10 miles via the Bright Angel Trail, taking an average of four to six hours. The hike back up, on average, is about six to 10 hours, according to Xanterra. For every hour it takes to hike down, it takes two to hike up. Mule rides to Phantom Ranch are canceled through at least Dec. 31, 2025, because of trail conditions, according to Xanterra. When Phantom Ranch closed for the water line work, Xanterra said mule rides would be canceled through August 2025. Now they are on pause for the entire year. Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Sedona bucket list: 10 most magical things to do in red-rock country This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Exclusive Grand Canyon lodge reopens after 3 months
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This national park train is getting an electrifying makeover: 'A unique chance to bring modern efficiency to a historic rail icon'
The Grand Canyon Railway has received $3.4 million in federal funding to convert one of its classic diesel-powered locomotives to a battery-powered one, Matador Network reported. This new electric locomotive project will deliver a more positive guest experience while helping to preserve the beauty and environment of this iconic national park. The Grand Canyon Railway runs from Williams, Arizona, to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, spanning 64 miles. The train runs daily, transporting more than 225,000 visitors yearly and keeping approximately 50,000 cars out of Grand Canyon National Park. Eric Hadder, GCR chief mechanical officer, explained in a news release that each end of the track is at a similar elevation but that the railroad drops 1,100 feet in the middle. If you were going to purchase an EV which of these factors would be most important to you? Good driving range Affordable sticker price High-tech safety features Cheap maintenance costs Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "As we're coming down the hill toward the center of the railroad, the energy from our braking efforts is being dissipated as heat," he said. "So, what we thought is if we were able to recapture that energy and store it as electricity in our batteries, then we could recharge our batteries on the downhill and then continue to use that energy in order to propel the train up the hill on the other side." Regenerative braking, a key feature of this project, allows electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles to convert kinetic energy from braking into electrical energy that recharges the vehicle's battery. For the new locomotive, this extends its range, allowing it to travel one full round trip on a single charge, according to Matador Network. Going electric and using regenerative braking not only reduces wasted energy, but it also reduces dependence on diesel — a dirty energy source that, when burned, contributes to harmful air pollution and the rising global temperature. An electric-powered locomotive produces zero exhaust stack pollution, meaning cleaner air for passengers as well as a quieter ride. A grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program funds 80% of this exciting electric conversion project, which is set to be finished by 2027. The remaining portion falls to Xanterra, the company that operates the GCR, per Matador Network. "This project is a unique chance to bring modern efficiency to a historic rail icon," Hadder said, per KTAR News. Kevin Crosby, director of sustainability at Xanterra, added, "This project will significantly reduce the already low environmental impact of visiting the Grand Canyon via rail." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
