Remote and rural business retreats allow you to leave it all behind.

They'll remember the deer they saw on the way. They'll think how it felt to relax in the warm glow of the prairie sunset and they will always remember the smell of the clean, fresh air. Most importantly the people you took to your meeting in that rural Saskatchewan getaway will remember what was said, who said it and why it is crucial to the success of your business.

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The most striking comment Jason Stanoffsky hears from corporate clients visiting the Jewel of the North resort at Christopher Lake is that topics of conversation 'register in the imagination.' A change in scenery is the biggest draw for each of the more than 15 retreats in rural and northern Saskatchewan catering directly to the business community.

"They like to leave the cement and come to the trees," says Kathy Palidwar, co-owner and manager of Northern Greens Resort in Nipawin. "I remember one of the fellows was outside and took in a deep breath of air and was very happy that he smelled nothing--no odors, no exhaust, nothing. Coming here is very refreshing for people who are used to rushing through traffic and sitting in front of a computer all day."

Getting out of the city and into a more relaxed atmosphere gives your business meeting a new dynamic, says Christoph Nuesch of SandCastle Ranch near Borden. It's very exciting to escape the institutional feel attached to many of the meeting facilities in larger centres.

Stanoffsky agrees and says his resort, which he co-owns with wife Nikki, has "a really good environment for creative, free-flow thinking."

"I find the groups that have been the most rewarding to work with are the employee groups that are here for two or three days and you get to watch how everything unfolds," he says. "They may be a little tentative at first but they come together over those few days. The employees get interested in the day-today workings of the company and they take ownership of the ideas that are presented. They'll move heaven and earth to make sure action is taken on the decisions they make here."

Each retreat around the province has its unique hook or special attraction yet they have much in common. When compared with facilities offering similar amenities in the cities and in other provinces, the rural and northern retreats in Saskatchewan all have a noticeable price advantage. As well, they each yield a sense of privacy but at the same time are easily accessible to major airports.

"Two hours from Saskatoon isn't a big deal," insists Audrey Folden, owner and president of All Seasons Waskesiu Lake Lodge and Convention Centre, noting it takes two hours for many metropolitan commuters to get to work and back each day.

Owners of Saskatchewan corporate destinations usually manage the resort, meaning the mission statement isn't handed down from some far-off corporate boardroom, an aspect that resonates with other business owners. While most of the resorts can handle 100 people for a special event or a one-day function they are at their best when serving a business meeting of 10 to 20 people.

"We'll typically get either the management level of a larger company or the entire staff of a smaller company," says Jacqueline Golding who, with her parents Earl and Marian Golding along with Neusch, operate SandCastle Ranch. "By convention standards it's not too big so you have the entire facility to yourself and you're not sharing it with other guests."

Opportunities for networking are maximized, Palidwar says, because everyone is in the same location and group activities aren't segregated. Everyone stays together and plays together, not disappearing into the city and reappearing five minutes before the scheduled start of the next meeting.

Turning companies on to the many benefits of a business retreat in rural Saskatchewan has been the biggest challenge for most resort owners. Tourism Saskatchewan has been doing their part to promote the province as 'an ideal location for meetings, workshops and conferences--large and small' and their Web site at sasktourism.com has listings and links for retreats in every area of the province.

Southern Saskatchewan is highlighted by the Cypress Park Resort Inn at Cypress Hills and by Kenosee Inn Resort Hotel in Moose Mountain Provincial Park near Carlyle. Companies from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the northern United States have taken advantage of the unique prairie settings offered at these resorts.

"We get a lot of the professional firms--lawyers, doctors and accountants--as clients during the spring and fall, which are typically the busiest meeting and convention months in the province," Kenosee Inn owner Daryl Safinuk says. As with most retreats in Saskatchewan the 53 cabins at Kenosee Inn, which averages 20 to 40 people for meetings, shifts to host the resort crowd in the summer.

"We just finished renovating seven cabins to full business class to keep up with the times," Safinuk says. The close proximity of the Kenosee Inn to the Bear Claw Casino has been good for both businesses as they each work to draw core clientele. "We want to be a step up (from simple park facilities) yet remain close to nature so you can still see deer running through the surrounding forest."

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Central Saskatchewan is home to Duck Mountain Lodge, the unique experience of Manitou Springs near Watrous and the previously mentioned resorts in Borden and Nipawin. Northern Greens is an all-inclusive Saskatchewan destination that makes use of all the abundant resources in the area.

"First off, we overlook the 10th tee box at Evergreen Golf Club, one of the finest golf courses in the province," Palidwar rightfully boasts. "We have so much to offer a corporate group at any time of the year. We have excellent hunting and fishing, we do historical tours and tours of a bison ranch and the candle factory, we have cross-country ski trails, snowmobile trails and six sheets of curling ice next door. Plus we're 50 steps from the entrance to the Evergreen Centre which has a restaurant and lounge and an auditorium that can seat hundreds of people."

Palidwar will be joined at Northern Greens Resort by her brother and co-owner, Brad Bergen, once he winds down his hockey career in Europe. The resort is now in its third year of operation and is a thriving business in a location spurned by developers for many years.

"We really got a positive reaction from people in the area," Palidwar says, commending local businesses for their support. "People are a little surprised to see it develop in front of their eyes but it's spurring on new ideas about the potential for opportunities here."

SandCastle Ranch is tailored toward the intimate. Its modular design includes sitting areas, a games room, private deck areas, a pool and a turret room which lend perfectly to break-out sessions.

"We've found there is no one quite like us with the personal service we offer," Jacqueline Golding says. "We feel we can be quite competitive with the best resorts in Western Canada."

Northern Saskatchewan has a well-earned reputation as a business retreat destination. Dotted around the North are Rocky View Lodge in Creighton, Jackfish Lodge and Convention Centre in Cochin, Eagle Point Resort in La Ronge and Land of the Loon Resort at Anglin Lake. Jewel of the North adds to an area with the most resorts, Waskesiu Lake, which includes Elk Ridge Resort, the Hawood Inn and the Lakeview Four Seasons Resort.

"We're all very different and we're all priced very differently," Folden says, noting Waskesiu Lake Lodge has done well during her 11 years as owner. "We have without a doubt the prime location with our suites and conference rooms right on the lake. You can't beat looking out over the lake at that Saskatchewan sunset."

Folden believes there are enough businesses in Saskatchewan to sustain the new and existing resort locations around the province. As well, businesses from outside the province are eyeing Saskatchewan and its affordable rates on everything from golfing to dining to accommodations.

"There's a greater call for this type of service than I would have anticipated and I think the demand for the kind of corporate retreat we offer is only going to get bigger," Stanoffsky predicts.