Alberta’s tourism industry is capitalizing on the chaos around global trade and immigration emanating from the White House by luring tourists who are shying away from the U.S. Read More
Alberta tourism operators say they are seeing an increase in bookings
Alberta tourism operators say they are seeing an increase in bookings
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Alberta’s tourism industry is capitalizing on the chaos around global trade and immigration emanating from the White House by luring tourists who are shying away from the U.S.
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“Europeans want to come and visit North America — they potentially just want to come to Canada,” said Tannis Daphney, chief marketing officer at Travel Alberta, the province’s destination management organization.
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“And so we’re hoping that this is an opportunity for Canada and Alberta, specifically, that we can attract European or Asian travellers.”
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Noon News Roundup
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U.S.’s recent levies of between 10 and 49 per cent on imports from across the world, barring items covered in the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement, has wiped out more than $5.2 trillion from the stock market, triggering shock and condemnation in several countries.
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Meanwhile, the recent enactment of stringent immigration rules and a slate of deportations have made tourists feel unsafe or unwelcome in the U.S., worrying several businesses in the country about a drop in tourism.
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There’s never been a better time to travel to Canada amidst U.S. tariffs say tourism operators
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The global disillusionment has been a gift to operators in Alberta which are benefitting from a rising patriotism among Canadians and a higher share of the global tourism pie.
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Karen Anderson, owner of Alberta Food Tours, which takes tourists around the iconic eateries of several cities across the province, is noticing an uptick in interest among tourists.
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“A lot of our summer tours are sold out already, so we might add more inventory,” said Anderson.
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“There’s never been a better time to travel at home.
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“I think that we’re friendly people. I’m not going to not ever be friendly. And I think that that message needs to come through loud and clear, everyone is welcome.”
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Anderson has recently signed contracts with two U.S. companies, which will bring American visitors in a series of tours.
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Her approach has served her well. She said the company in 2022 grew by 30 per cent after recovering from the pandemic. It has experienced growth every year and business is set to climb by 15 per cent in 2025.
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“Things are up for us,” she said.
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Alberta tourism hit $12.7 billion in 2022
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Anderson isn’t alone. Daphne said international tourism has been climbing across the board.
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“We’re looking at room nights, air traffic, skiers and at different revenue streams in a bunch of different areas,” Daphney said.
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The rise is part of an upward trend in the province. Spending by visitors in Alberta reached an all-time high of $12.7 billion in 2023, an increase of 20 per cent from the previous year, according to Joseph Schow, Minister of Tourism and Sport.