New stats show Alberta tourism had record-breaking year
That’s one for the record books.
Alberta tourism has seen an astounding increase in visitors over the past few years, and new numbers from Statistics Canada show that 2016 was record-setting.
Nearly 35 million visits were made to the province in that year alone, according to a Thursday release from the Government of Alberta. During those visits, tourists spent a total of $8.5 billion, which was an increase of 4.7% over the previous year.
Visits from the rest of Canada to Alberta increased by 9.4% between 2015 and 2016, according to the release, and spending increased by 15.1% by those travelling Canadians.
As for our friends beneath the border and across the oceans, their visits to Alberta saw an increase as well, resulting in 10.9% more international visits than in 2015.
Dollars spent by international visitors also increased between the two years, going up by 14.1% by 2016.
“From hidden gems, unique destinations and one-of-a-kind experiences, tourism continues to play a pivotal role in our province’s economy as Alberta’s reputation as a world-renowned tourist destination grows,” said Alberta minister of culture and tourism, Ricardo Miranda, in the release.
“The strong performance of Alberta’s tourism sector in 2016 shows its resiliency and continued potential to diversify the economy, create jobs and generate investment in communities across the province.”
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