About

Our Company

DeNure Tours is a family-owned business, started by Fred and Dorothy DeNure. Fred was a trained mechanic, with uncles in the bus business, and Dorothy was a natural hostess with a welcoming smile. Together, they embarked on this business of inviting guests to see interesting parts of North America, travelling by motorcoach. As a tour operator, DeNure Tours has always been different, in that they have owned their own buses, and the attention to detail with respect to maintenance and safety as well as driver and tour director training, and all the little details in arrangements and logistics for their trips, has resulted in memorable tours for guests for almost 65 years.  Currently, Fred and Dorothy's son, Ray DeNure, is overseeing the operation of the company as it continues to grow.

EXpertise & Integrity

Since 1960, we have provided safe, reliable transportation, mostly for tours. With our uncompromising integrity with respect to vehicle maintenance, adherence to transportation and labour regulations, and our dealings with other bus operators, we have earned the respect of our peers and suppliers in the motorcoach industry, and we have a solid safety record. We are experts when it comes to trip planning, taking into account details with respect to the vehicles, the drivers, and the passenger experience.

RELATIONSHIPS

Over the years, we’ve established solid relationships with our peers in the motorcoach industry, and earned their trust with honest dealings and fair treatment. The same applies to the destination management organizations, hotels and the attractions we have dealt with for decades. Our long-serving staff work hard and take pride in ensuring that all guests, whether on one of our tours, a tour we've designed for others, or on a bus charter have a safe, enjoyable trip.

ATTENTION TO DETAILS

Our process for tour planning includes a review of routing with logistics and driver hours of service in mind to ensure that once the trip is underway, everything runs according to the intended plan.

you're travelling with experts

Tour Directors and drivers take care of your group from the moment you arrive to the last goodbye. They are experts who are passionate about your destination and eager to share their knowledge with you. Not only do they handle all the logistics, they also “bring on the fun”, enhancing the group experience, and connecting guests over your days spent together.

Our Legacy

OUR PAST:
Fred & Dorothy built their business based on their passion for travel and their desire to share the world with their friends.
OUR PRESENT:
DeNure Tours delivers inspiring, authentic travel experiences infused with fun! Recently, we've added DeNure Charters, safe, reliable bus transportation for events or adventures.
OUR FUTURE:
Complementing our packaged tour brands, DeNure Charters offers safe, reliable chartered bus transportation, and Tours in Canada offers receptive tour services.

A Look Back At Our History

DeNure Tours is a family-owned business, started by Fred and Dorothy DeNure. Fred was a trained mechanic, with uncles in the bus business, and Dorothy was a natural hostess with a welcoming smile. Together, they embarked on this business of inviting guests to see interesting parts of North America, travelling by motorcoach. As a tour operator, DeNure Tours is different, in that they have owned their own buses, and the attention to detail with respect to maintenance and safety as well as driver and tour director training, and all the little details in arrangements and logistics for their trips, has resulted in memorable tours for guests for almost 65 years.

  • 1960 – Where it all began

    In 1960, Fred DeNure left a partnership he had with a cousin, RJ Trailways to pursue an operation of his own. Fred was awarded the contract to provide bussing to local schools in the Kawartha Lakes, with a fleet that would grow to more than 70 school busses. At this time, DeNure Tours was formed, offering its first multi-day sightseeing tour to Atlantic Canada.

  • 1965 – Canada's 11th province

    Florida has long been nicknamed Canada's 11th province and in 1965, DeNure began operating coach tours to Florida. DeNure’s ‘Sunshine Holidays’ escorted Canadians by motorcoach down to the sunny south for an escape from the cold winters. In 1981, the Daytona “Sunshine Express” program debuts, shuttling guests from the cold Canadian winters to long-stay vacations in Daytona Beach, Florida. This program becomes so popular that just a few short years, it was expanded to weekly departures to Florida, later laying roots in Destin, St.Pete Beach and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  • 1967 – The tour that changed it all

    In 1966 Fred, Dorothy and their three children embarked on a 6-week tour of the southern USA in a converted school bus, resulting in many new itineraries designed. In 1967 with a handful of itineraries, DeNure Tours introduced its first brochure that included journeys to Florida, California, Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada. Many of the tours in Eastern Canada included a visit to Expo 67. In 1972 the school bus division was sold to concentrate solely on sightseeing, offering popular destinations in both Canada and USA, including a new tour to Alaska.

  • 1984 – UK and Europe

    If you’ve ever had the chance to meet or travel with Harry Simmons, then I’m sure you’ll join DeNure Tours in wishing him well as he enters retirement this month.


    Harry has been with DeNure Tours for almost 30 years and during that time, he created and organized delightful holiday experiences throughout Britain and Europe. During his travels with DeNure guests, he has shared the unique spectacle of the Edinburgh Tattoo, acquainted them with Germany’s famous Rhine, and raised a glass of local wine as he introduced the beauty of the Italian coastline.


    But even more importantly, Harry maintained a quick wit, shared an endless knowledge of history and literature, and was meticulous in ensuring that the tours exceeded our guests’ expectations.


    Harry often said that there were three steps to a memorable holiday: planning the trip, taking it, and re-living the vacation through the stories, friendships and memories that were made. I know Harry has featured prominently in many of these great memories, and he will be missed by staff and passengers alike.

  • 2009 – Business expands to include custom and groups

  • 2018 – First hiking tour for a custom group

  • 2019 – First hiking tour is offered in a brochure

  • 2021 – DeLuxe Hiking is born

    A new division is established to concentrate exclusively on active hiking tours.

Meet Our Team

Howard Herman

With a career that began in the world of accounting and finance and with no interest or background in the tourism industry, Howard Herman is now a Canadian travel expert whose knowledge expands over 30 years. Howard started working with DeNure Tours in a temporary data entry position. Since then, he has worked in the reservation and operation departments and for the past 12 years has been the Tour Development Manager and a Tour Director. “It is true that this industry gets into your blood,” Howard states, “I love travelling and sharing my passion with our guests. While I love all of our tours, two of my favorites are the Calgary Stampede and Canada’s Maritimes. The scenery in the west is spectacular and the thrill of the Stampede is like nothing I have ever experienced before. When you go east in Canada there is so much to see and experience from the music of a kitchen party in Miramichi to the amazing natural beauty of Hopewell Rocks. The history of Lunenburg or Peggy’s Cove, and the most welcoming people you will ever meet. I look forward to exploring some of my favorite destinations with you on one of our tours.” When Howard is not busy working, he enjoys spending time with his family, baking, teaching part time for St. John Ambulance, and travelling.