GRAND CANYON RAILWAY

JEFFREY D‘ARPA

GENERAL MANAGER OF RESORT OPERATIONS GRAND CANYON RAILWAY AND HOTEL Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023 (800) 843-8724

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE GRAND CANYON RAILWAY?

Grand Canyon Railway is a 64-mile railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and completed on September 17, 1901. The arrival of trains led to increased tourism to the area, and the railway company was instrumental in the creation of the Grand Canyon Village to serve guests. Declining ridership due to the popularity of the automobile led the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to cease passenger service of the Grand Canyon Railway in July 1968. Service was restored to the Grand Canyon on September 17th, 1989.

HOW LONG HAS GRAND CANYON RAILWAY BEEN IN BUSINESS?

Grand Canyon Railway inaugurated rail service to the Grand Canyon on September 17th, 1901.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE YOUR PROFESSIONAL PATH IN SOME WAY, WOULD YOU?

Not at all.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY?

Hospitality is at the core of what we do. Bringing guests to the Grand Canyon in a memorable way makes lasting memories that they’ll cherish forever. We have a great hotel, fantastic property and incredible vintage era trains.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT IN YOUR PROFESSION?

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes and know that the hardest thing to do and the right thing to do are typically the same.

TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR PERSONAL SUCCESS?

Surrounding myself with good people and identifying future potential. I enjoy developing the career of someone with good work ethics.

DOES YOUR WORK DIFFER FROM THE EXTERNAL PERCEPTION OF WHAT YOU DO? IF YES, HOW SO?

I have worked in National Parks and beautiful places for most of my career. Most people think I’m the luckiest person alive and I tend to agree with them.

HOW HAS GRAND CANYON RAILROAD ADAPTED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC?

Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel was fortunate to work with the Xanterra Travel Collection home office in developing a comprehensive Covid-19 pandemic plan. There was an enormous amount of research and planning that went into drafting our policies to keep the guests and employees safe at our properties. We have learned to work with Covid-19 and manage its impact on our operations. It’s a virus and all we can do is mitigate its transmission and decisively act when cases are recognized within the community.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE THIS YEAR?

I think anyone working in 2020 would have to admit Covid-19 and its enormous impact on business has been the biggest challenge of not only the year but in many decades.

WHAT HAS INSPIRED YOU OR REMOTIVATED YOU THIS YEAR IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES?

Seeing the resiliency of our workforce adapting and thriving despite the numerous changes in their daily routines. The sacrifice we’ve all endured and the compassion towards each other in the reality that we’re all in this together gives me hope for the future.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING IN THE CHAMBER COMMUNITY?

Northern Arizona is a destination for people from all over the world. Each and every Chamber business has a unique story of success, perseverance and innovation. Getting to know these business leaders and their teams through networking and Chamber functions has been a great benefit.

DO YOU HAVE A RULE OR MANTRA YOU STRIVE TO LIVE BY?

I always ask my team and myself to put forth our best efforts in everything we do. Striving for excellence will always result in an honest day’s work.

WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE THE GCR IN 10 YEARS?

We are always working to create a better guest experience at Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel. With the new addition of our exclusive Rail Baron Charter cars we hope to expand this class of service to offer more private car experiences. Taking guests to the Grand Canyon is a once in a lifetime experience and it is our hope that we will continue providing our services for the next decade and century to come.