“Alberta’s tourism sector is woven into the economies of our communities and is a key part of what helps ensure Albertans and their families have a good quality of life. As we move beyond the challenges of the last several years, we have an opportunity to reimagine tourism and the vital role it will play in our province’s future.
“We identified early on that our visitor economy is important to Alberta’s Recovery Plan. Our commitment to supporting tourism led us to increase Travel Alberta’s funding by $63 million and expand its mandate.
“Pent-up demand for tourism is helping our visitor economy rebound. In July, hotel occupancy increased six percentage points from 2019, and in August, employment was up 4.5 per cent from 2019. Indigenous tourism is taking off, creating unique and authentic experiences while preserving culture, language and traditions.
“Visitors to Alberta are sure to have an unforgettable time. They can experience the thrill of hiking, biking and skiing, or camping in one of our many provincial or national parks. They can visit world-class museums, festivals or events, or check out locations used in film productions.
“As we continue to enhance experiences like these, we are working with our partners to attract, plan and execute major sporting and cultural events, meetings and conventions because we know they are also important to growing and sustaining a thriving visitor economy.
“Alberta’s government is creating the winning conditions for a prosperous visitor economy. In the months ahead, we look forward to welcoming more travellers from Alberta, Canada and the rest of the world and showing them everything our province has to offer.”