Scott Hayes | [email protected]
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Pine Bungalows and Tourism Jasper are each getting a chunk of nearly $18 million in federal investment funding for Alberta鈥檚 tourism economy.
The PrairiesCan funding was announced on Monday with 50 organizations and businesses set as beneficiaries.
The program is designed to enhance and create new experiences, events and attractions across the province to attract even more regional, national and international visitors than before. Its objective is to boost Alberta鈥檚 tourism sector.
Canada鈥檚 tourism sector is showing strong signs of growth now that the country is moving past the acute phase of the pandemic, said Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault, making the announcement on Monday on behalf of Dan Vandal, minister for PrairiesCan.
鈥淭he Government of Canada鈥檚 investments in tourism over the last two years focused on the survival of our visitor economy,鈥� Boissonnault said.
鈥淎s we move to revival and the growth of the sector, we continue to provide targeted support to tourism businesses so they can keep delivering unforgettable experiences. A fully recovered and robust tourism sector is key to our government鈥檚 ongoing work in building an economy that works for all Canadians.鈥�
The funding includes $1 million for the Pine Bungalows to construct two new heated family/group sized cabins to extend its operating season. Tourism Jasper also receives $200,000 to help it establish a new stand-alone Jasper Tourism Visitor Information and Experience Centre downtown.
鈥淭ourism in Jasper is recovering at a rapid pace and we are focused on continuing to make the visitor experience second to none. Projects like our new Visitor Experience Centre and the renovations at Pine Bungalows are instrumental in ensuring that visitors can enjoy the beauty of Jasper National Park and that Jasper is a sought-after global destination,鈥� said James Jackson, president and CEO of Tourism Jasper.
鈥淛asper National Park is known around the world as one of Canada鈥檚 most iconic destinations and we are thankful for our partnerships with the Government of Canada who support our tourism recovery efforts. These announcements today will boost Jasper鈥檚 visitor economy and they highlight the fact that tourism is an important industry for Alberta and Canada as a whole.鈥�
The federal investments are being made through the Tourism Relief Fund, a $500 million program to support the tourism sector in Canada that is administered in the Prairie provinces by Prairies Economic Development Canada, or PrairiesCan.
Its objectives are to empower tourism businesses to create new or enhance existing tourism experiences and products to attract more local and domestic visitors as well as to help the tourism sector reposition itself to entice and welcome more and more international visitors.
