Tourism Week Industry Toolkit

This Tourism Week, we’re celebrating the resilience, innovation and creativity of Alberta’s tourism industry over the last two years, and looking ahead to our continued path to recovery. It is an opportune time to take stock of where we are today and ask ourselves where we want to be in the future. Because the sun always rises in Alberta.

Partners are invited to use this toolkit to spread the word about Tourism Week and the value of tourism in Alberta. We have included key messages, Alberta tourism facts, suggested social media posts, and more.

Key Messaging

Suggested messaging for Alberta:

• Alberta’s economic recovery relies on the tourism industry’s recovery.
• The tourism sector was the first hit by COVID and will be the last to recover. But it is on the path to recovery.
• At this time, total tourism spending is expected to return to 2019 levels in 2024.
• Leveraging pent-up demand for travel over the next three years will be key to accelerating recovery and growing our visitor economy.
• In a recent survey conducted by TIAA, the tourism industry indicated they were optimistic about 2022 and beyond.
• Optimism is a key characteristic of Albertans. We have a nose to the grind, get things done, always forward attitude which has, and will continue, to guide our recovery efforts.
• The tourism industry has shown tremendous resiliency these past two years. The creativity and innovation to survive has become embedded in our operations and will support us collectively we begin the transition to thrive.
• COVID has changed things. As we enter a new era of travel, tourism business will operate differently, and travellers will choose differently. A new starting place brings new opportunity.
• The silver lining of COVID is that tourism is finally being recognized as a community-builder, job creator, and economic driver.
• Team Alberta is our unique competitive advantage! Together, we will be a stronger, more profitable, and more resilient industry. Because the sun always rises in Alberta.

Alberta Tourism Facts

Alberta Tourism: By the Numbers

• Before the pandemic, tourism was a $10.1 billion industry and a key driver in our province – contributing billions to Alberta’s Gross Domestic Product, supporting about 24,000 tourism-related businesses and 82,000 jobs.
• While incremental progress was made in 2021 over 2020, tourism spending and employment levels were still well below 2019 levels (65% and 18%, respectively).
• Pent-up travel demand is showing positive signals for growth, with total searches for travel to Alberta exceeding 2019 levels in both 2020 and 2021.
• Not all travellers are created equal. International travellers spend four times more than domestic travellers and the return of international visitors, particularly U.S. visitors over the coming year, will be critical to recovery. The further the journey, the longer the stay and higher the visitor spend. In 2019:
  
  • Visits from other Canadians had an average duration of 4.1 days with a $523 spend
  • Visits from the U.S. had an average duration of 5.2 days with $828 in spend
  • Visits from overseas had an average duration of 13.4 nights with $1,119 in spend
• At this time, total tourism spending is expected to return to 2019 levels in 2024:
  
  • Alberta visitor spending is estimated to reach 2019 levels by 2021
  • Spending from the rest of Canada will recover by 2023
  • The U.S. spend is expected to recover by 2024
  • and spend from the overseas markets to recover by 2025

Suggested Social Media Posts

Partners are invited to use these suggested posts on your own social pages. We have included graphics for LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, available to download on our Industry Hub.

Download social graphics

Don’t forget to tag @TravelAlbertaCo on Twitter or Travel Alberta on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram in your posts!

Share Our Video: The Sun Always Rises

 The past two years have pushed our limits. But through it all, our spirit never wavered. Building on the learnings, innovation and creativity demonstrated by our industry, we will forge forward stronger.

 We are resilient. And we are on the path to recovery. Because the sun always rises in Alberta.

Other Resources

Tourism Week is a collaboration between TIAC and partners across the country. Visit TIAC’s website for more ideas and resources about how you can get involved in Tourism Week 2022.

And, be sure to visit the Tourism Industry Association of Alberta (TIAA)’s website, Twitter and LinkedIn channels throughout the week for more #ABTourismWeek content.