It’s shaping up to be a busy summer season for popular Edmonton visitor hot spots like West Edmonton Mall, cottage rentals on Pigeon Lake, Royal Alberta Museum, River Cree Resort and Casino, Edmonton Valley Zoo, Muttart Conservatory and more.
“Tourism is one of Alberta’s most powerful economic drivers,” says Stavros Karlos, director of research, policy & government affairs with the not-for-profit Tourism Industry Association of Alberta (TIAA). “It is Alberta’s #1 service export and the fifth-largest export overall by revenue. Those statistics alone underscore how vital hospitality and tourism are, but the true bottom line and community value goes even deeper. Tourism brings foreign exchange (export) dollars directly into Alberta communities, helping rural and urban economies diversify beyond traditional sectors. It also fuels a wide range of industries such as accommodation, restaurants, retail, aviation, Indigenous tourism, arts and culture, festivals, transportation and more.”
He emphasizes that all tourism – national, international, provincial and local – is ultimately good for business.
“Tourism supports a wide range of businesses and job creation with over 25,000 tourism-related businesses employing 277,000 Albertans. While full year 2024 statistics will only be released by Statistics Canada mid-summer, Alberta’s 2023 performance was strong with $12.8 billion in visitor expenditures, a 19 per cent increase over 2022. Based on the first three quarters of last year, 2024 is on pace to see another high single-digit increase.”
Karlos points out that Alberta continues to outpace other provinces in international tourism growth, mostly due to a data-driven approach to tourism strategy and investments and strong air access as Alberta continues to be a well connected province, which is vital to the overall economy in general. He mentions Alberta’s bold and Canada-leading government goal to grow the province’s tourism economy to $25 billion by 2035.
It is widely acknowledged, by government and business, that tourism is a key sector of the Alberta economy. Based on the most recent data, the province’s tourism dollars come from Albertans (53 percent/$6.8 billion), the rest of Canada (23 percent/$3.0 billion), U.S. (12.5 per cent/$1.6 billion) and overseas markets (11.5 per cent/$1.5 billion).
Things and trends are changing.
For many reasons – the high cost and the reported hassles about airports and air travel, post-pandemic jitters and, most recently, sudden “elbows-up” Canadian pride reactions in the wake of trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. – staycations have grown in popularity.
Coincidentally, because the staycation phenomenon has taken hold, suddenly scrapped U.S. trips are proving to be a domestic and a local boon. Although it is too early for detailed and specific numbers, anecdotally, due to the buzz and anxieties about trade wars and loopy threats of annexation, Canadian pride and to support the Canadian economy, it seems that many Canadians are not just cancelling trips to the U.S., they are rebooking vacations close to home and in Canada.
Regardless of the reasons or the causes, staycations are hot!
Spring data released by Statistics Canada showed that the number of return trips among Canadians travelling to the U.S. by car declined by 23 per cent, year over year.
In Alberta, staycation trends are more popular than ever. It is also a boost for Edmonton’s bottom line. Staycations trends are not only translating into good times and good news, but a particularly welcomed boost for the dollars and the jobs of the Edmonton region’s travel, tourism and hospitality business.
Explore Edmonton operates Edmonton Convention Centre and EXPO Centre and supports local tourism with high profile events like K-Days, the Urban Farm, Farmfair International, Canadian Finals Rodeo, Rodeo Week and more. According to Explore Edmonton, they are promoting the city as a vibrant, four-season destination for leisure, business and major events and driving tourism, economic impact and community pride.
“Edmonton was named as a top 10 destination city by Lonely Planet thanks to our experiences, neighbourhoods, festivals and more,” says Melissa Radu, executive director, destination stewardship with Explore Edmonton. “Staycations are no longer a second choice. They are part of a conscious, intentional lifestyle shift. They offer year-round marketing opportunities.”
“We are the Festival City with over 50+ festivals throughout the year,” she explains. “The North Saskatchewan River Valley is 22 times the size of NYC’s Central Park. We have unmatched Indigenous experiences; a diverse and growing culinary scene, including local breweries and distilleries; and a dynamic nightlife in the arts district, ICE district, live concerts and festivals.”
Radu points out that the visitor economy is made up of small business enterprises (SMEs).
“In the tourism and hospitality sector, Statistics Canada reports that more than 90 per cent of directly relevant businesses are SMEs. Supporting tourism means supporting local businesses, jobs, people and products, and driving economic growth across our community.”
How important is tourism for the Edmonton region? Very! Karlos underscores that Edmonton’s tourism sector is also deeply tied to the province’s identity, inclusiveness and cultural vibrancy. It is home to a large urban Indigenous population and numerous Métis and First Nations tourism operators offering culturally significant, authentic experiences.
“Simply put, Edmonton is a pillar of Alberta’s tourism economy. Without tourism, Edmonton’s festivals, attractions, small businesses, hallmark experiences and cultural institutions would struggle to maintain the vibrancy that makes the city one of Canada’s most unique and livable urban centres.
“Strategically and economically, regional tourism is essential. The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is Alberta’s second-largest tourism region by total visitor expenditures, generating approximately $2.4 billion annually. That places it ahead of the Canadian Rockies and second only to Calgary. However, the region’s importance isn’t just about the numbers.”
Location, location, location is also an important part of Edmonton being a popular draw for provincial and local staycations, because Edmonton is widely recognized as a gateway to Northern Alberta; the launching point for trips to Jasper National Park, the Canadian Badlands and Wood Buffalo National Park (which is the largest national park of Canada, larger in area than Switzerland).
Karlos enthusiastically suggests that staycations may be here to stay.
“Immediately after the pandemic, we saw a surge of international ‘revenge travel.’ Canadians resumed overseas vacations despite higher costs.”
He notes that the past six to nine months have been different. There has been a notable, especially in the Edmonton region where staycation has evolved into the Canadacation.
“Visiting your own country builds empathy, connection and resilience. In an age of polarization, tourism has the power to bring Canadians closer together,” he concludes.
