alberta tourism marketing

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Marketing a Tourism Business in Alberta

If you are an entrepreneur and looking at launching a tourism business, there are many trends in your favour. [Update to readers: this post was written in October of 2019 – How the world has changed! Nonetheless, attracting tourists from within the province is still attracting tourists…and where there’s a will, there’s a way].

Up until the pandemic tourism had been growing, and the Alberta government wants to see the $8.5 billion industry double, which means they need to see more innovative ‘products’ (ATB Financial, 2017). Note that both ‘products’ and ‘services’ in tourism are often referred to as experiences for tourists. And remember, Alberta tourism certainly goes far beyond just the Canadian Rockies.

If you’re a little hazy on what it means to offer an experience, check out our past blog on Experiential Tourism .

Tourism experiences can be based around:

• Accommodations
• Attractions
• Tours and Guiding
• Hospitality
• Transportation
• Travel Agencies and Intermediaries
• Tourism-Related Retail

Starting a business in tourism presents unique opportunities and challenges. Opportunities include market growth, a desire for new products, a passion-driven industry and excellent supports in economic development and trade. Some of the current challenges are certainly seasonality (summer generates 35.2% of travel in Alberta), a historical reliance on the energy industry (causing higher labour, material, and equipment costs), and financing – some lenders view tourism as high risk (Alberta Culture and Tourism, 2017).

Travel Alberta says new opportunities for tourism experiences are prevalent around:

• Agri-food beverage (think craft beer and farm-to-table dining)
• Aurora borealis and night sky viewing
• City and day tours
• Wildlife viewing
• Winter experiences
• Wellness experience

Do any of these have promise for you? Here’s how we suggest you get started.

Start with Research

As with starting a business in any industry, it’s always recommended to start with research. Below are some tools to understand and define your market.

There are some incredible resources from Alberta Economic, Development, Trade, and Tourism Market Research , Travel Alberta Market Research , and Statistics Canada Research . You can use this available information to identify or validate who will buy your experiences. One thing to note is that currently 80% of Alberta tourism comes from Albertans and that the VFR market (visiting friends and family) is the #1 reason for travel (Alberta Economic Development, Trade and Tourism, 2019). It’s important to understand this data if you are aiming to turn locals into tourists or tourists into locals.

One really fabulous tool that has been created by Travel Alberta is called the Explorer Quotient Tool . Explorer Quotient is a marketing segmentation program based on demographic, social values and behavioural research to identify nine different traveller types. In addition, Alberta Culture and Tourism has partnered with Environics Analytics Group and can access Canadian household segments based on postal code. Tourism Businesses can access this information through their research team. In other words, if you track where tourists are coming from, and then send this data to Environics, they can tell you which traveller types those are, and what they are likely hoping to see when visiting your area. Much better than guessing!

Consumer Research

Lastly, here are some things to think about when you are evaluating the industry and how your idea, product, or service will fit/compliment/disrupt the industry.

Industry Research

The tourism marketing plan.

A huge component of starting a tourism business is understanding how to create your messaging, develop or refine offerings, and create a strategic plan, budget and goals. Tourism marketing can seem overwhelming since there are a lot of moving parts.

Travel Alberta suggests 8 P’s of Marketing in your plan in lieu of the traditional 4 P’s, adding packaging, programming, people and partnerships to the mix:

The inclusion of partnerships can’t be underestimated in tourism marketing. Tourism Marketers need to understand the needs, wants, and demands of the customer but also how marketers and consumers interact . It is no longer just one-way, it has become a two-way conversation as the industry trends toward more customer engagement. Content (photographs, videos, written stories) has become a really key element of all Tourism marketing. Travel Alberta offers a lot of resources to help you leverage the existing Alberta Brand and tap into content partnerships.

At Tenato, we have also conceived the idea of a Virtual DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) in order to create an outsourced tourism/economic development office that gives you all the services you need but without the level of overhead of hiring all those talents in-house.  In addition, we work with the resources and talents you do have locally to keep your dollars within your community as much as possible. We look forward to hearing about your tourism marketing efforts, and invite you to contact us should you need support!

Alberta Culture and Tourism (2017). A summary of 2015 Visitor Numbers and Expenditures.

ATB Financial. (2017). Alberta Economic Outlook August 2017.

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About the Author - Jenelle Peterson

Related posts, conversations on cultural tourism in vancouver’s chinatown, through the eyes of a tourist, travel alberta industry conference, experiential tourism.

Supporting the growth and sustainability of Central Alberta Tourism.

Central Alberta Tourism Alliance: Working to enhance the capacity of our destination by creating a desired future and a road map to reaching it. Focusing on coordination, planning, development, marketing and investment at the regional level.

Strategic Documents

Central Alberta Agritourism Development Strategy

10 Year Vision: “Central Alberta will be recognized as the premier agritourism destination in Alberta by 2033.”

Through agritourism, Central Alberta has an exciting opportunity to invite visitors to connect with the people and places that bring the region’s agricultural heritage to life. The following statement describes Central Alberta’s vision for the future.

Request for Proposals – Tourism Economic Impact Assessment

The Central Alberta Tourism Alliance (CATA) regional group of communities is interested in assessing the economic impact of tourism across the Central Alberta region including Red Deer, Red Deer County, Sylvan Lake, Lacombe County, Innisfail, Blackfalds, Rocky Mountain House, and Clearwater County.

CATA is seeking proposals with a quote from firms with the background and experience required to carry out the work as described in this RFP. The successful proponent will gather visitor data including volume of visitors and visitor expenditure data and perform economic impact modelling to provide a clear picture of the impact of visitation in each of the identified geographic areas as shown in Schedule A.

Accommodation Study

Final Report for the Central Alberta Tourism Alliance Accommodation Study.

Destination Management Plan

This document provides an up-to-date identification of our key target markets and a comprehensive summary of our competitive advantages for tourism. It proposes and makes the case for how we can enhance the capacity of our destination by creating a desired future and a road map to reaching it.

Trail Tourism Master Plan

In alignment with Realizing Our Potential: Central Alberta Destination Management Plan, the Central Alberta Tourism Alliance is leading the development of a Trail Tourism Master Plan for the region.

Learning & Events

Winter campaign aims to raise awareness of indigenous tourism experiences in alberta, authentic indigenous | making connections for the ultimate alberta experiences, indigenous tourism alberta marketing microgrant, ita webinar – creating a tourism website, webinar: marketing your business in a cost-effective way, how to shift your social media strategy.

Alberta Adventures: Learn from the Experts in Hospitality and Tourism

With summer just around the corner, many of us are planning our next Alberta adventure. While we’re all excited to experience our beautiful province, the reality is the effects of COVID-19 continue to linger for many businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries. The experience economy is vast and encompasses business activities that contribute to the hospitality and tourism industries’ economic growth, directly or indirectly. Of course restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions are some examples of businesses that fall within this scope, but businesses that also fall within this sector include:

• Event venues and concerts
• Public speakers
• Entertainment and production companies
• Event planners and caterers
• DJs, photographers, and videographers
• Transportation
• Food trucks
• Confections
• Arts & film
• Event rentals
• Bed & breakfasts
• Pet daycares and kennels
• Temporary staffing firms
• Branding suppliers
• And many more

Even with most restrictions being lifted, there are permanent changes that these businesses in the hospitality and tourism sectors need to be mindful of and adapt to accordingly. Below you’ll find our conversations with industry experts, shared insights, resources, and support that can help prepare businesses in the experience economy for summertime in Alberta.

Indigenous Tourism Alberta (ITA)

Mackenzie Brown, Director of Industry Development for Indigenous Tourism Alberta , shares some of her observations and programs that have helped businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

What have been the main challenges you’ve observed for businesses in the experience economy in 2022?

I think some of the main challenges include the lack of accessible funding for our members and Indigenous labor shortages. Having accessible funding where businesses can apply orally, through a story, etc. makes it easier for our communities to access funds.

More from our conversation with Mackenzie

Additionally, Indigenous tourism is growing fast, and we want to see more Indigenous youth and community members involved in the industry, both in the development, marketing, and the grounds as guides, storytellers, and in the service industry. There is a large labour shortage in tourism, and it is amplified for Indigenous representation. Creating more Indigenous-led training programs, wage subsidies, and transportation accessibility will help pave a more inclusive tourism industry.

There is also a lack of Indigenous representation in specialized tourism marketing. It is my hope that we see more specialized Indigenous tourism marketing courses and training come out so we can see more Indigenous creatives in this space.

What have been the key focus points at ITA to help businesses in the event, hospitality, and tourism industries shift and prepare for the 2022 season?

The last two years have been really hard on our members, not having a proper tourism season. ITA’s focus is on the recovery and sustainability of our membership. We are focused on spring and summer campaigns, paid media advertising, advocacy, training programs, mentorships, and more to help prepare our members for a good tourism season.

Do you have programs or services that businesses can engage with?

Indigenous Tourism Alberta has a variety of programs and workshops this upcoming year! The best way to find out when events are scheduled is by  signing up for our newsletter  on our website.

Pathway Program

The Pathway Program is grassroots-led and was developed with Indigenous frameworks and ways of knowing, doing, and being. The Pathway Program takes Indigenous Nations, Settlements, and Communities through owning and operating community tourism initiatives and goes through every aspect of grassroots community tourism development from being visitor-ready, infrastructure upgrades, and setting up a tourism office in your community. Intake will be launched in June/July 2022 and is open to Alberta Indigenous Communities.

Entrepreneur Workshop

This one-day in-person workshop takes participants through creating an idea and starting and owning an Indigenous Tourism business. From marketing plans to learning about the tourism industry if you have an idea or want to expand your Indigenous tourism business further, this workshop is for you. Sign up for our newsletter to know first when dates are announced! Workshops to be held in Grande Prairie, Slave Lake, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Calgary.

Cultural Awareness Training

The Cultural Awareness program aims to help support the growth and understanding of local Indigenous ways of knowing and being in the mainstream tourism industry across Alberta. ITA is in support of reciprocal relationships between Indigenous partners and industry partners in all regions of Alberta. This training is a full-day, no-cost training aimed to help those working in the tourism industry broaden their understanding of Indigenous peoples, land, and Indigenous tourism. ITA’s Cultural Awareness Training takes participants through aspects of history and cultural understanding, with a focus on Indigenous tourism and responsibility in the promotion and best practices of authentic Indigenous tourism experiences.  Knowledge is catered to the specific area each training is located in. Sign up for our to know first when dates are announced! Training to be held in Red Deer, Crowsnest Pass, Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Calgary, and Fort McMurray.

ITA has many programs available for members including webinars, business coaching, information blogs and videos, marketing initiatives, asset creation, mentorships, and more. Anyone within Alberta with a majority Indigenous-owned Tourism business can be a member of ITA. In light of COVID, our membership is free until March 2023. If you’re interested in learning more about who ITA is, what they do, and how they can help, you can find their application for membership online .

Indigenous Tourism Alberta: Client Testimonial

Kalyn Kodiak is a proud Métis and two-spirited person who is descended from a long lineage of healers, teachers, and artists. She found her passion in her early 20’s when she took a class on plant identification at the Wild Rose College of Natural Healing. She is now a teacher who shares her knowledge of plants, herbs, and wellness. She is a resource on traditional medicines to the Métis communities of southern Alberta, and aen aapikayahk sayncheur flayshii (Métis sash weaver). She is also a founding member and the current president of the Alberta Herbalists Association.

“Joining ITA has been one of the best choices for connecting with other Indigenous businesses and growing my business. I am very happy with the support we’ve received. Please keep up the good work, to support other new and growing Indigenous businesses!”

— Kalyn Kodiak with Kodiak Herbal

Travel Alberta

Since 2020, Travel Alberta has supported businesses through funding, promotional activities, and learning opportunities. These supports helped businesses navigate and prepare for recovery now and in the future. Travel Alberta and its partners provided various means of support for operations, marketing and product development, and partnership marketing to 338 businesses.

The Travel Alberta website was created as an Industry Hub for the Alberta tourism industry partners from programs & tools to insights into visitor trends and market-specific information.

Click to expand and discover the programs & tools that Travel Alberta offers

Alberta tourism information service (atis).

Free digital marketing platform designed by Travel Alberta to help your Alberta tourism business by amplifying your marketing efforts. Add your Business Listings, Events and Offers into ATIS and your content is shared across multiple marketing channels and websites, including travelalberta.com  and a growing network of publishers, websites and apps promoting Alberta as a destination of choice for visitors around the world. Getting started is easy and free. Visit the website for more information or login now .

Learning Portal

A resource connecting tourism businesses with insights, expertise, and best practices to help guide marketing and business activities.

Tourism Investment Program

Over the next three years, Travel Alberta’s investment framework will contribute over $15 million dollars annually to enhance and grow visitor products and experiences. Investing in Alberta’s visitor economy diversifies and drives economic growth, creates jobs, and supports businesses. And that’s good news for all Albertans.

Two funds are available that you can apply for now: the  Cooperative Investment Fund  and the  Product Development Fund . Some application due dates are fast approaching on May 13, 2022.

Visitor & Market Insights

Travel Alberta is regularly compiling and monitoring information on source markets to understand when and how travelers from different markets are returning to travel. This will inform the target markets and timing for Travel Alberta’s destination promotion activities. Tourism indicators offer insight at a glance from respected research organizations and government agencies to help the tourism industry in Alberta understand how they perform, where opportunities lie, and how to adjust based on the most recent data regarding travelers, expenditures, habits, and trends. These insights hold great opportunities for anyone looking to market their tourism-based business in the province, the country, or across the globe.

Connections e-newsletter

Travel Alberta’ s  Connections e-newsletter provides news, resources, programs, events, and opportunities related to the tourism industry in Alberta. The travel sector is constantly evolving and we are committed to delivering fresh, relevant and helpful information right to your inbox.

Business Link

Business Link helps Alberta entrepreneurs start and grow sustainable businesses. As many Albertans plan on exploring their own backyard for an adventure this summer, the Business Link team can help prepare your business with tools, resources, and one-to-one support. Here are some resources and supports for the hospitality and tourism industries that target some of the challenges they might be facing.

Funding, staffing, and marketing support from Business Link

Funding support.

Business Link is a great free resource to help you find applicable funding options for your business.  In addition, most funding options require a business plan.  The Interactive Business Plan Builder is a step-by-step tool that provides you with a framework to build a professional and compelling Business Plan.  We also offer a Business Plan Review service where we will provide feedback to promote funding success.  We also have access to funding databases that we can search and provide potential options.  For example, here are a couple of government supports to help with funding challenges for businesses in these industries:

• Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program
• Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program

Business Link can also provide resources and tools to help businesses assess and resolve staffing gaps.  Although we are not Human Resource professionals, we do have Professional Connections that you can explore to find the right Human Resource professional supports for your business.  There are also several government-funded programs to help you with hiring and training new staff:

• Canada- Alberta Job Grant is a funding program where government and employers share the cost of training new and existing employees to increase their knowledge and skills
• Alberta Works Workplace Training is a program that can reimburse up to 70% of training costs up to $390/week for up to 30 weeks.
• Rupertsland Institute has training programs for businesses looking to hire 10 or more Metis individuals. Training offered can include administration, safety training, or some customized training programs to fit the business needs.

Understanding target customer changes and how to effectively market to them is critical for your business recovery and growth. Our Market Research resources and services help you better understand both market and client changes since COVID to make the right shifts in your business.  We also have marketing guides , blogs , workshops , and one-to-one supports where we can share tools and resources to help you build a robust marketing plan.

One change in customer behavior that has been reinforced through COVID is searching online for businesses.  Business Link administers the Digital Economy Program that provides businesses free support for digital marketing and helps your customers find you online.

Discover some Business Link favorite destinations in the tourism and hospitality industries!

One of my favorite Alberta Adventure destinations is Quarry Lake Park (Canmore, Alberta).  Quarry Lake Park is a recreational area located right in the heart of Canmore that has a beautiful lake with swimming, walking trails, and picnic tables. I love the sense of community when visiting the park, and the amazing views of the Rocky Mountains!  One of my favorite businesses to visit on this adventure is Bow Valley SUP & Surf to rent a kayak!

— David Bayda, Business Strategist

A family favorite is Waterton National Park. There is so much to do in Waterton like rent a surrey bike from Pat’s Gas and Cycle Rental, hike one of the many trails, view the falls, sit by the lake, and shop in one of the many shops along Waterton Avenue. Before we head home, we stop in at Welch’s Chocolate Shop to pick up our favorite chocolate, candy goodies, and ice cream.  This summer I also hope to take in a hike offered by Heather Black, owner of Buffalo Stone Woman Indige-scape Tours. Heather offers unique hiking tours in the Kananaskis area combined with sharing of our Blackfoot Culture, and provides storytelling with books from Indigenous authors, craft-making for children, and goal setting for the adults prior to a 1–4-hour majestic hike on the trails.

—Norma Wolf Child, Indigenous Business Strategist

A favorite destination of mine is Jasper National Park for the views, hiking, and restaurants! As I enjoy great food at the end of an adventurous day, we like to visit Jasper Food Tours Inc . For adventure and to fully experience all Jasper has to offer, a couple of great local adventure businesses are Journey Bike Guides Inc and Talking Rock Tours .

— Barry Yewchuk , Market Research Coordinator

My favorite Alberta Adventure destination is a tie between Kananaskis provincial park and Banff national park! I love exploring nature and I also enjoy staying active and challenging myself. Since both destinations have fantastic hiking trails and are immersed in nature, they are my favorite place to go as I can get in a workout plus a rewarding view. Whether you go with friends, family, or alone, it is always a good time. If I have time for relaxing afterward, my favorite place to go is the Kananaskis Nordic Spa !

— Kolby Klassen , Specialized Services Support Officer

One of my favorite destinations or experiences was driving from Canmore, north on Highway 1 to Highway 93, and at the Saskatchewan River Crossing taking the 11 east through David Thompson Country/Clearwater County and back to Edmonton – the scenic way to get from Banff to Edmonton!  This is one of my favorite destinations or trips because you can visit Canmore, Kananaskis, Banff, and Lake Louise, and there are so many scenic spots to stop along the way. One particular highlight is coming up on the Cline River – it is a breathtaking view. In Canmore, I really enjoy Alberta’s Own Marketplace and Café Books ! Alberta’s Own Marketplace has products from Alberta-based businesses, and you can get some artwork, home décor, or body products to remind you of the trip. Café Books has all the latest reads and other fun things like puzzles. You also can’t go wrong with a bagel for the road from Rocky Mountain Bagel Co .

— Kari Morton , Director of Client Services

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Destination Marketing Fees

A destination marketing fee (dmf) is voluntarily collected by hotels in some communities. these funds are used for destination marketing and tourism promotion. dmfs are not legislated by government, and they are not a tax or a levy..

DMFs are used to support tourism marketing and product development. They exist in a number of communities in Alberta and around North America. As destination marketing programs are administered locally, questions about how their initiatives are delivered should be addressed directly to specific DMF collectors.

Every property in Alberta with more than four guest rooms is required to collect and remit the Tourism Levy, however not every property participates in a destination marketing program. Hotels may charge a variety of fees, including parking, WiFi, and destination marketing. It is in the sole discretion of the hotel to apply any such fee. Properties that charge a DMF should inform the guest about the fee at the time of reservation and/or upon check in. Guests who want to know whether their hotel charges a Destination Marketing Fee should confirm this at the time of reservation and/or upon check in.

The AHLA encourages consumers who have questions about DMFs to ask the General Manager of their hotel, or to the DMF collector in the community where they are staying.

The AHLA supports the transparent and accountable collection and expenditure of DMFs to promote tourism marketing for the benefit of all Albertans.

Consider Before Implementing A DMF

Hotel groups considering implementing a DMF in their area are encouraged to consider the following questions:

• Do you have a strong local hotel group with engaged members?
• Is your community a tourism destination?
• Do you have enough local room nights annually to generate the amount of revenue required to mount a meaningful marketing campaign?
• Do you have a destination marketing organization (DMO) with the capacity to develop and execute the marketing plan?
• How will you define and measure success?
• How will you hold the DMO accountable?
• Who will act as your trustee?

Properly Calculating DMF

If your hotel collects DMFs, you must ensure you are calculating them correctly. DMFs form part of the cost of accommodation. Both the GST and Tourism Levy are calculated separately on the DMF amount.

For a hotel that added a 2 % DMF on a $100 guest room, the calculation on the folio should be:

DMF Voluntary Code of Conduct

The AHLA developed the Voluntary Code for DMFs for DMF collectors based on the AHLA’s Recommendations for the Governance and Administration of DMFs

The Code advises DMF collectors to:

• Create the DMF collector as a legal entity with its own bylaws;
• Develop a strategic plan and business plan for the DMF collector, and a marketing plan for how funds will be used;
• Engage stakeholders; and
• Develop policies that promote accountability.

DMF Task Force

In 2011, the AHLA Board of Directors created a task force to develop an industry-driven solution for the implementation, governance, and administration of DMFs that complemented the existing tourism marketing model. When the task force was created, there were concerns about DMFs that had the potential for consumers and elected officials to question their legitimacy, including:

• Disparate and increasing DMF fee levels;
• Inconsistent application of DMFs across the province;
• Inconsistent governance, participation, and partners between communities;
• Inadequate measures of the effectiveness of the DMF programs; and
• Inconsistent accountability and transparency of the administration and management of DMFs.

After consulting with individuals involved in private and community DMFs, the Task force recommended:

• The AHLA work with industry to encourage DMFs to review and implement the elements contained in its Recommendations for the Governance and Administration of Destination Marketing Fees; and
• The creation of a voluntary code of conduct for DMFs based on key elements of the Recommendations.

Since most tourism marketing dollars are generated through direct taxes and fees on our industry, AHLA members should ensure the accountability of tourism marketing expenditures on all levels. DMFs are not effective in all areas and, in some cases, are promoted by municipalities to encourage economic growth rather than tourism.

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B.C. tourism economy blooms as spring arrives

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Business owners in the tourism industry can be excited that spring has sprung. It's a time when B.C.'s tourism economy starts humming again, after a slow winter season.

This is true even when the Vancouver Canucks are not making a playoff run,  such as the one they are on right now .

Spring also leads to summer, which is the sector's biggest season for sales and a time when operators can charge higher prices.

Some parts of the province, such as those with ski resorts, welcome ample tourists in snowy winter weather. Overall, however, tourism businesses struggle in the winter, and many across B.C. had a particularly harsh winter this year.

B.C. restaurants, pubs and bars, for example, in January saw a 2.8-per-cent decline in sales , on a seasonally adjusted basis, compared with the same month in 2023. The only other province with a year-over-year decline in sales that month for food services and drinks was Quebec, where sales fell 0.76-per-cent. 

Indeed, the time when most visitors want to come to B.C. is when the weather warms and rainy days are few. The May-through-September period is when Vancouver's average high monthly temperature is at least 17 C degrees, and there are fewer than 10 days rainy days per month on average.

That's why destination marketers do not market B.C. as much for summer visitors as for winter ones, Destination British Columbia vice-president of global marketing Maya Lange told BIV.

She said her organization lets regional destination marketers, such as Destination Vancouver, take the lead for local marketing efforts.

Destination Vancouver CEO Royce Chwin has told BIV his focus is to increase visits at slower times of year, such as February and March. That's why his organization sponsors events such as Dine Out Vancouver and the Vancouver International Wine Festival , he said.

Travel to B.C. picks up in May

Last May, 2,089,986 passengers either boarded or disembarked planes at Vancouver International Airport – more passengers in a month since the previous August, and 9.4-per-cent more passengers than in April 2023, according to Vancouver Airport Authority data.

Monthly passenger counts then increased each month until August before tapering off in September and October. A similar pattern for air travellers tended to be seen pre-pandemic.

Hotel room rates follow a similar pattern.

Last May, the average Vancouver hotel room rented for $279.12, which was the highest since the previous September, when room rates were on average only $1 higher: $280.12, according to Costar, which provides global real-estate data, analytics and news.

That average hotel room rate last May was 23.4 per cent higher than the average $226.18 price in April 2023, underscoring how much demand for accommodation picks up in May.

Airlines help drive this demand.

Condor Airlines upped its flight frequency between Vancouver and Frankfurt to five times per week , from three times per week, on May 1.

The airline this year is not only upping its Vancouver route’s frequency, but it is also increasing capacity by flying bigger planes during a slightly longer April-through-October season, compared with last year, its director of sales for North America, Mikko Turtiainen, told BIV.

Condor Airlines' director of sales for North America, Mikko Turtiainen spoke with BIV while on board one of his airline's new Airbus A330neo planes | Glen Korstrom

WestJet on April 28 launched a new route between Vancouver and Detroit, Michigan, while United Airlines (Nasdaq:UAL) restarted its route between Vancouver and Washington, D.C. on May 2.

On June 5, American Airlines (Nasdaq:AAL) plans to launch a new route between Vancouver and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Cruise sector drives peak-season tourism

The province's cruise sector is one of its biggest drivers of tourism between May and October, and post-pandemic demand for cruises has soared.

Last year a record 1.25 million passengers docked in Vancouver on cruises , according to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA). In 2024, the VFPA expects that number to rise to 1.27 million passengers thanks to cruise lines operating larger ships.

It estimates that each cruise ship that visits Canada Place generates about $3 million for the local economy. Last year that terminal saw a record 332 ship calls, which is three more than the VFPA expects Vancouver to have this year.

Canada-wide, the sector supports about 7,000 jobs, $300 million in wages and it contributes $840 million to national GDP, according to the VFPA.

This year's cruise season launched March 11 but really did not get going until the end of April, when Vancouver finally saw two consecutive days with ship calls (April 26 and 27.)

The season is slated to continue until Oct. 29, although it starts to peter out at the start of October, as many days do not have ship calls.

Luxury train travel across the province has a similar season, running April through October, and draws international tourism.

Rocky Mountaineer CEO Tristan Armstrong told BIV in March that he anticipates 97,500 passengers this year , which would be a record.

That number, however, includes about 10,500 passengers on American routes.

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About Travel Alberta

Building a thriving visitor economy that benefits all Albertans.

Travel Alberta is the destination management organization of the Government of Alberta. Established as a Crown corporation on April 1, 2009, we operate under the authority of the Travel Alberta Act within the Ministry of Tourism and Sport. 

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Travel Alberta acts as convener for regional destination organizations, businesses and economic development organizations who make up the visitor economy. Together, we lead, influence and coordinate destination development and promotion activities, taking account the needs of visitors, residents, businesses, and the environment.

Travel Alberta drives the growth of the province’s visitor economy, creating and promoting must-visit destinations throughout the province. We do this by helping businesses develop memorable products and experiences, marketing those products and experiences to the world, and ensuring visitors have access to them.

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Tourism is often thought of as happening elsewhere, yet it starts and ends at home. As an industry of connection, it contributes to welcoming, inclusive and vibrant communities. It contributes to quality of life in terms of entertainment, experiences and amenities. And it contributes to the social fabric of our everyday lives from GDP contributions generated by visitor spending.

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FTE 2024: Tourism Fiji unveils "If you can't bin it, bag it" initiative

Tourism fiji has announced the launch of a national initiative aimed at tackling littering by educating people to promote proper waste disposal across fiji..

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The “If You Can’t Bin It, Bag It” campaign aims to preserve Fiji’s natural beauty by promoting responsible practices, self-awareness, and behaviour change.

Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill announced the campaign at this year’s Fiji Tourism Exchange, saying, “Our journey towards sustainability begins at home.

“Today, as we officially announce the ‘If You Can’t Bin It, Bag It’ campaign, we want to encourage all Fijians to play their part in keeping rubbish where it belongs – in the bin – and if there’s no bin near you, in a bag until you can dispose of it properly.”

Recognising the ongoing development of infrastructure in waste management and the significant task at hand, Tourism Fiji’s campaign aims to encourage all individuals to take more responsibility for the preservation of Fiji’s environment and temporarily store their rubbish in bags until proper disposal is available.

To support the initiative, Tourism Fiji has worked with local partners to produce beautifully illustrated, reusable bags for the campaign, which will be available for free throughout Fiji.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, Tourism Fiji is excited to spearhead this important initiative,” said Tourism Fiji Chief Marketing Officer Srishti Narayan.

“We believe that by working together with communities and industry, we can make a significant impact in preserving Fiji’s natural beauty, as our nature and culture are key reasons visitors choose Fiji. We’re really grateful to the many partners who have come on board to support this initiative, demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental preservation in Fiji.”

Tourism Fiji says the campaign has been made possible with the support of several partners who have contributed funds, time, or media space for free or at discounted rates.

These include a 50 per cent contribution to the total campaign fund by Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, Grand Pacific Hotel and The Holiday Inn, and additional generous contributions by Rosie Holidays, Ahura Resorts, Jack’s Fiji, Marriott Group, Media Metro, Walesi, Punja’s and BSP.

Tourism Fiji’s creative agency, Host Havas, developed the campaign concept pro bono. Local designer Lily Vallance illustrated it, with The Ministries of Tourism, Civil Aviation, environment, and Climate Change supporting the campaign.

The first samples of reusable bags were distributed to participants at the Fiji Tourism Exchange who wished to contribute to the cleanup efforts voluntarily.

The initiative is set to roll out nationwide in June with a host of media exposure, including radio, social media, signage and PR.

The Fiji Tourism Exchange (FTE) took place from 5-7 May 2024 at the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort in Denarau.

www.fiji.travel

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