Edmonton is set to anchor a new "tourism corridor" to the NWT
As if Edmonton didn’t already have plenty of reasons to be known as the Gateway to the North, the City will anchor a massive new tourism corridor stretching to the Northwest Territories.
Destination Canada has announced the launch of four new tourism corridors for 2024. These corridors will connect clusters of local tourism assets and help accelerate development to motivate travellers to the area.
The federal tourism agency says that it is building on the success of last year’s tourism corridor strategy, which included the Maritimes, Atlantic Canada, Southern BC, and Alberta along Highway 3.
In addition to the “Northern Sky Corridor” between Edmonton and the NWT, Destination Canada also selected a bike project between Ontario and Quebec, Agrotourism in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the Juan de Fuca corridor in BC.
The project aims to “contribute to a more resilient tourism industry” through accelerated destination development of multiple corridors across Canada. It’s a key initiative of Destination Canada’s 2030 Tourism Strategy, with the goal of bringing Canada back into the top seven global tourism destinations.
“This corridor connects Indigenous cultures and experiences from Edmonton Alberta across the provincial and territorial boundary to the Northwest Territories, linking art, history, and experiences with the expansive natural beauty, skywatching opportunities, land-based nature, and Indigenous tourism,” Destination Canada writes.
Destination Canada adds that demand for experiences in this region “exceeds supply.”
Its research program found that 67.7% of international travellers to Canada are very interested in experiencing an Indigenous cultural experience or tourism activity in Canada.
“The development of this corridor will identify product gaps, explore transportation partnerships, and identify infrastructure needs to support the creation of new itineraries.”