Purpose
The Discovery Reports are a summary of the key findings from our engagement with stakeholders. They also highlight each Tourism Development Zone’s (TDZ) potential and serve as a basis for informing future destination development plans.
On this page:
Potential of Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo TDZ
Industry dynamics
Overall, Alberta’s tourism industry is experiencing two inter-related dynamics that are both a challenge and an opportunity in which the TDZ initiatives aim to address:
Regional compression
Over 75% of expenditures are in five legacy destinations.
Seasonal compression
Majority of revenues occur from June to August.
10-year potential of the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo TDZ
2,916*
Potential job creation
6.3%*
Visitor spend growth/year
$400M*
Estimated tourism spend (2022-2035)
*These figures represent the additional growth potential for the zone under the TDZ initiative.
Who did we engage with?
The picture is not complete without ensuring we heard from the communities. In the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo TDZ, we engaged with:
- 177 Stakeholders
- 119 Businesses
- 10 Communities
What are residents saying
- 66% would welcome more visitors to their community
- 53% say that a strong tourism industry improved their quality of life
- 75% believe tourism is important to their community
Residents need to see the connection between tourism and their everyday lives.
Opportunities
Currently, there is low familiarity with the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo TDZ as a tourism destination. The top activities in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo area are:
Northern lights
Camping
Hiking
Where are we going from here
In order to develop these emerging areas of the province, a comprehensive destination development plan is necessary to guide and align all stakeholders. These destination plans will identify roles and responsibilities that address barriers as well as opportunities for investment. To do this effectively, we are addressing 20 interrelated elements (see image below).
As Travel Alberta makes progress on these development plans, check back for an update in the months ahead. Stakeholders can also reach out to the Destination Development Manager listed below who is responsible for this TDZ.
Discover more about the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo TDZ
Download the Discovery ReportContact your Destination Development manager
