EDMONTON – Alberta’s tourism industry is suffering, as its management of the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the province into something of a pariah.
The fourth wave of COVID-19 has hammered the province, proving damaging for the province’s tourism sector.
This weekend’s rugby sevens in Edmonton is an example of one of the very few events that have been able to go ahead this summer. And Explore Edmonton, the agency tasked with bringing these events to the city worries it may be years–not months–before things recover.
Before COVID-19 hit, Edmonton was on the rise, with the city, becoming a tourism hotspot.
“In 2019 we welcomed more than 6 million visitors to Edmonton. They generated almost $2 billion for the economy which represents thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses,” explained Dan St. Pierre with Explore Edmonton.
But big events that draw in domestic and international travel are now fewer and farther between.
“We’re easily down 60 to 70 per cent. The tourism industry was the first hit, it will likely end up being the hardest hit and it will take the absolute longest to recover,” said St. Pierre.
“It’s probably 50/50 if not 60/40 choosing to cancel or re-schedule or move forward.”
And complicating the issue is the apparent evaporation of what was once known as the “Alberta Advantage”. The province’s approach in handling COVID-19 hasn’t been well received by people near or far.
“Without question, we have a bit of a brand and reputation problem that’s emerged from this and that’s having an impact on the kinds of events we’re booking and being able to bring visitation into Alberta,” said St. Pierre.
For Explore Edmonton, the answer to this emerging image problem is a comprehensive response to the fourth wave.
“There is no recovery in tourism and events, full recovery in tourism, events, and hospitality until we can get to a place where people have the confidence that we are vaccinated, the fourth wave is under control and we’re in an endemic state rather than an emergency state,” St. Pierre added.
