For as long as he can remember, Jacques Desbois, CEO of

the Htel de Glace, has been passionate about winter and

snow. In 1996, he established Las Piste Desbois, an ecotourism
company that operated interactive igloo villages.
Nicknamed Mr. Igloo, Jacques worked hard to perfect
this concept. His company has participated in numerous
festivals, including the Quebec Winter Carnival. In
1996, he read an article about an ice hotel in Sweden.
He thought that if someone could do that in Sweden, he
could do it in Quebec. So, he packed his bags and flew to
Sweden to check out the operation.
After his trip, he conducted feasibility studies and
believed his concept would work in Quebec. He then
sought out partners to make his dream a reality. He was
successful and found the right partners to join him. After
four long years of hard work, overcoming obstacles, and
pure tenacity, the Htel de Glace opened to the public in
2001. Since that time, the hotel has become one of the
most famous images of the Canadian winter. Moreover,
the hotel is a leader in the Quebec tourism industry and
welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world
each year. Htel de Glace, in fact, generated more than

Video Case 12

htel de glace
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