The inaugural report establishes a data-driven post-recovery roadmap. It provides foundational benchmarks for Alberta’s visitor economy, analyzing domestic travel trends and identifying the strategic policy priorities required to guide the industry back to a competitive, growth-oriented footing.

Highlights a record-breaking recovery with expenditures hitting $10.7 billion—surpassing targets two years early. Key achievements include hosting the first Alberta Tourism Advocacy Summit and forming the Tourism Workforce Recovery Task Force to address critical structural labour shortages.

Economic Significance of Travel in Alberta 2021

2021 Tourism Week advocacy messaging focused on business liquidity and a predictable roadmap for lifting health-related operational restrictions. Prioritize the expansion of the Small & Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant (SMERG) to protect tourism operators currently on the brink of closure.

Six Action Items

Strategic roadmap detailing six key action items including establishing provincial Office of Outdoor Recreation to coordinate policy and eliminate government silos. Proactive land-use planning is highlighted as the primary mechanism to stem the leakage of recreational investment to neighboring provinces.

Systemic immigration reform and a pan-Canadian workforce strategy are essential to resolving chronic labor shortages that threaten the industry’s global competitiveness. Cross-jurisdictional recommendations to align public policy with the long-term human resource needs of the visitor economy.