By Alex McCuaig

Double tourism

Goal to double provincial tourism revenue

Jan 17, 2020 | 4:31 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – A goal to double provincial tourism revenue in the next decade was floated this week during sessions held in Calgary and Edmonton with Tourism Minister Tanya Fir.

With final figures for 2019 yet to be finalized, the province is currently generating just less than $9 billion annually.

Tourism Medicine Hat’s executive director says the goal to get close to the $20 billion mark may be ambitious but highlighted the provincial target set in 2013 of $10 billion by 2020 was likely realized.

“It’s a moonshot,” said Jace Anderson who attended one of the consultations sessions in Calgary earlier this week. “But with a solid strategy, I think we can get close.”

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Anderson highlighted there has been growth in tourism revenues over the past eight years – a trend he sees continuing.

Coun. Brian Varga who sits on the Tourism Medicine Hat Committee as well as is president of the Canadian Badlands says the goal is ambitious.

But the goals to see growth come from outside the Banff-Jasper corridor should position Medicine Hat as an attractive place to lure tourists.

“I think being part of the badlands, the south is pretty important,” said Varga. “We’ve got a lot of different experiences here to do that and we want to become like a Jasper and Banff where people come to see us because there is something interesting to come and see.”

Southeastern Alberta is currently home to the province’s oldest and newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites with Dinosaur Provincial Park receiving the designation in 1979 and Writing-on-Stone getting in last year.

That’s not to mention the National Historic Clay District which Medalta’s executive director Mike Onieu says is one of several things which positions the city well in Alberta’s tourism plans.

“Based on the minister’s announcement, I feel Medalta, and Medicine Hat in general, ticks all the boxes that she was talking about,” said Onieu.

“There is Aboriginal culture to be seen. Medicine Hat contains Medalta – we’re a national historic site, low ecological footprint, opportunity to reduce the demand in Banff and Jasper and we have a lot to offer.”