INVEST IN SOUTHWEST ALBERTA TOURISM Envisining a Landscape f Investment Opprtunities and Exprt Capacity Invest in Suthwest Alberta Turism cntains an analysis f the turism sectr in the suthwest regin f Alberta frm an investment perspective. This dcument cntains infrmatin n the regin s existing turism prduct, its cmpetitive edge, and access t markets, pprtunities, incentives and resurces.
Invest in Suthwest Alberta Turism E N V I S I O N I N G A L A S C A P E O F I N V E S T M E N T AN UNLIMITED LANDSCAPE OF OPPORTUNITY Suthwest Alberta ffers immediate pprtunities t invest in existing businesses, start new ventures and/r explre partnerships with established firms in the thriving turism sectr. This unique regin is an ideal lcatin t live, learn and invest due t its: Lw Business Csts ne f the mst cmpetitive tax envirnments in Nrth America The cmbined federal/prvincial crprate incme tax rate is 27% fr general businesses and 14% fr small businesses; Strategic Lcatin and Access $845 millin in majr prvincial prjects have been annunced fr the Suthern Alberta Transmissin Reinfrcement initiative which equates t better service, mre efficient transmissin f renewable energy, and new pprtunities in value chain grwth; and Entrepreneurial Spirit a skilled, yung and prductive wrkfrce ppulates this stunning area. Frt Macled: Frt Museum Nrth West Munted Plice Ride. Tday, turism is ne f the leading industries in the prvince f Alberta, emplying ver 114,000 Albertans and generating ver $7.4 billin in annual expenditures. It is supprted by a range f hspitality and service-related businesses that cater t the needs f Albertans travelling in their wn prvince as well visitrs frm ther parts f Canada, the United States, Mexic, Eurpe and Asia. Page 1
Turism is big business and nt nly in Alberta. The federal gvernment estimates that turism cntributes as much t Canada s wealth as agriculture, fishery and frestry cmbined. LAY OF THE LAND The Alberta SuthWest Regin includes 16 municipalities and cvers an area f 15,446 square kilmeters, larger in size than the state f Cnnecticut. The regin accunts fr 2.4% f Alberta s land mass. Its ppulatin f 36,700 residents, living in 16 vibrant cmmunities and representing 1.0% f Alberta s ppulatin, call suthwest Alberta hme. The six majr centres are Cardstn, Crwsnest Pass, Clareshlm, Frt Macled, Nantn, and Pincher Creek. This creates a regin f wide pen spaces that is very attractive t visitrs and represents ptential fr cntinued grwth. The cmmunities in the regin are within a 150 km radius and vary in size frm full service centers f ver 5, 500 peple t charming villages f 200-450 peple. The cmmunities wrk in partnership n initiatives t facilitate sustainable ecnmic grwth. The regin basts ne f the highest quality f life standards in the wrld, with recreatinal settings, strng cmmunity values and an average husehld incme f ver $80,000 (2011). Suthwest Alberta has significant gegraphic diversity; frm prairie grasslands and fthills, t river valleys and the majestic muntain peaks f the Canadian Rckies. Big sky starry nights free f light pllutin, and 333 days f annual sunshine add t the appeal f this spectacular regin. With clean, fresh water, mre hurs f sunshine than anywhere else in Canada and a bunty f natural resurces, Suthwest Alberta prves an idyllic setting fr living and a great lcatin fr cmmerce. Over 1,900 businesses currently perate in Suthwest Alberta s vibrant and diverse ecnmy. Lcal cmpanies benefit frm a yung, highly skilled and educated wrkfrce. In 2012, 48.3% f the labur frce aged 25 and ver reprted hlding a university degree r pst-secndary diplma, and tw-thirds f the regin s ppulatin was aged between 15 and 64. Page 2
A DIVERSE ECONOMY The turism industry is an ecnmic mainstay in the regin, vibrant and grwing with a breadth f pprtunities relating t the abundant natural landscapes, histric landmarks, and a variety f cultural influences. In additin t tw UNESCO Wrld Heritage Sites (Watertn-Glacier Internatinal Peace Park and Head-Smashed-In Buffal Jump), this regin ffers histric sites, glfing, delightful campgrunds, beautiful prvincial parks, western and cwby themed activities, and spectacular utdr adventure and recreatin including hiking trails and ski hills. The regin has a diverse and visible heritage frm cal mining in the Crwsnest Pass, prairie pineering, the Nrthwest Munted Plice, a strng and vibrant agricultural traditin and the cultural richness f First Natins. The varied and stunning landscapes and histric twn sites have made this regin a living mvie set. Suthwest Alberta is ne f Alberta s tp film lcatin sites where cinematic masterpieces such as Little Big Man; Betrayal; Days f Heaven, Unfrgiven, and Brkeback Muntain were filmed. Technlgy-led enterprise culd als extend int the vide/film and digital media sectr. Suthern Alberta s beautiful vistas and muntain views have been captured in dzens f films ver the years. The industry is psitined t grw in the next five years as the building f Alberta s new $23 millin dllar film studi in Calgary will be cmpleted in 2015. Click here t learn abut past mvie set lcatins and three free driving turs. Suthwest Alberta als frms the nrtheast crner f the Crwn f the Cntinent, which is a larger transbundary regin encmpassing the Page 3
Watertn-Glacier Internatinal Peace Park, and the surrunding areas f British Clumbia and Mntana. In 2007 Natinal Gegraphic identified the Crwn f the Cntinent as a significant geturism destinatin that is particularly attractive t the traveller wh is interested in experiencing the unique character f place, in terms f landscape, culture and histrical significance. The regin has cntinued t partner with Natinal Gegraphic and the transbundary partners t develp turism prduct and market the regin with a geturism map guide and the Crwn f the Cntinent website. In 2012 Pathways t Prsperity was published illustrating hw the Crwn s appeal has emerged as ne f the area s mst imprtant ecnmic assets. Success stries f entrepreneurs are shared, demnstrating that lcating t areas within the Crwn is n lnger a trade-ff between livelihd and lifestyle; tday s entrepreneurs are having their scenery and eating it t. Watertn Lakes Natinal Park An UNESCO SITE A sampling f cultural, natural, histric, recreatinal, utdr, entertainment and just plain fun experiences have been prvided belw: Histrical Remingtn Carriage Museum Curthuse Museum Frank Slide Interpretive Center Leitch Cllieries Bellevue Undergrund Mine Nantn Bmber Museum Canadian Grain Elevatr Discvery Centre Empress Theatre Frt Museum f NWMP and First Natins Pineer Place/Ktenai Brwn Village Heritage Acres Farm Museum Recreatin & Outdr Adventure Riding/ranch vacatins Caneing & Kayaking White Water Rafting Climbing & Hiking Cycling Fishing Glf (Curses in Cardstn, Clareshlm, Crwsnest Pass, Frt Macled, Granum, Pincher Creek, Nantn, Stavely, and Watertn) Skiing Page 4
Cultural & Natural destinatins Invest in Suthwest Alberta Turism Buffal Rck Tipi Camp Head-Smashed-In Buffal Jump Watertn-Glacier Internatinal Peace Park Windy Rafters Barn Dance Great Canadian Barn Dance Blackft Natin Dance, Head Smashed In Buffal Jump Entertainment and Attractins Rde Festivals Live Music Theatre Pwwws Art galleries Antiques Experiential Turism Watertn Shreline Cruise C. Step abard the histric M.V. Internatinal, cruise alng the shreline f the beautiful Upper Watertn Lake and crss the internatinal brder t Gat Haunt, Mntana. In additin, water shuttles crss the lake t Crypt Landing daily; the gateway t a breathtaking hiking trail. Enjy sme f the mst spectacular muntain scenery the Rckie Muntains have t ffer. Nantn Pr Rde Cruising n the M.V. Internatinal View majestic twering cliffs, unique gelgical frmatins, beautiful waterfalls, snw clad muntain peaks and the internatinal brder. Bring yur camera; tur bats make Page 5
phtgraphic and wildlife stps. Bald eagle, bear, mse, deer, muntain sheep and muntain gats are ften seen. Fishing Suthwestern Alberta is the perfect place t experience wrld-class fishing. The fllwing peratrs ffer equipment and guided fishing trips, as well as directins t a number f rivers t find the perfect lcatin. The Crwsnest Angler Fly Shp & Guide Service Alberta Fly Fishing/Crwsnest Café & Flyshp Incept Adventure C. Riding/ranch vacatins The Western lifestyle is a staple in the regin. Learn what it takes t be part f an peratinal cattle ranch r simply enjy riding thrugh the stunning landscapes with yur equine partner. Riding and ranch style experiences are ffered by ranch vacatin peratrs in the area. Each f these peratrs is extremely welcming and ffers an unfrgettable experience. Suthwest Alberta Ranch and Farm Life Rangeview Ranch Vacatins Lucasia Ranch Vacatins Alpine Stables Centre Peak High Cuntry Valley Adventures Sierra West Cabins & Ranch Vacatins Oxely Ranch Vacatins Skiing Fr families and high-perfrmance skiers alike, the tw ski hills in the regin are sure t satisfy. Pass Pwderkeg Pass Pwderkeg ffers night skiing and challenging terrain parks. In the summer the trails are pen fr muntain biking. Castle Muntain Resrt Castle Muntain Resrt has sme f the lngest vertical runs in Nrth America (nearly 3,000 feet) Castle Muntain Ski Resrt making it a muntain wrth visiting fr avid skiers. At the same time they are able t maintain a family-friendly fcus t make everyne at every level feel welcme. Castle is the nly ski hill in Alberta t ffer the unique experience f Cat-skiing! Page 6
White water rafting/kayaking Incept Adventure C. is the place t cntact if yu re lking t kayak, white water raft, r want a knwledgeable fishing guide. Whether yu re an experienced adventurer r just want t give ne f these experiences a try, Incept Adventure C. is the place t g. Exhilarating Experiences with Incept Adventure C. Sinister 7 Ultra If yu re a runner lking t push yurself t the max, the Sinister 7 Ultra is a race that may be the greatest challenge f yur life. The 100-mile (161km) curse will take yu thrugh the mst rugged, remte and beautiful terrain in Alberta's stunning Rcky Muntains. With 5,687m f elevatin gain acrss the curse, this race will punish thse wh are nt prepared. UNPARALLELED ACCESS TO MARKETS. The Sinister 7 Ultra. HIGHWAYS Highway 2 (CANAMEX) accelerates the nrth-suth flw f gds, cnnecting Alberta t the U.S.A. and Mexic. Distance t: Kilmeters Miles Lethbridge, AB 100 62 Calgary, AB 216 134 Highway 1 (TransCanada) is Canada s Frt McMurray, AB 952 592 majr east-west trade crridr, spanning Seattle, WA 956 594 acrss all ten Canadian prvinces, linking Vancuver, BC 1166 724 the east and west casts. Ls Angeles, CA 2313 1437 Highway 3 west cnnects Alberta t Trnt, ON 3419 2125 Vancuver, British Clumbia and the Prt Hustn, TX 3389 2016 Metr Vancuver deep-sea terminal, Mntreal, QC 3499 2174 Canada s largest sea prt and the furth New Yrk, NY 3854 2395 largest tnnage prt in Nrth America. Halifax, NS 4735 2942 Highway 3 East links t the Trans-Canada Highway, all majr eastern Canadian highways as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Majr Prt f Entry t the USA: ne hur suth f Frt Macled is Canada s 9th busiest brder crssing, Cutts/Sweet Grass, pen 24 hurs a day, seven days a week. Page 7
AIR One f Alberta s lngest runways lies within the regin, and is managed by the Municipal District f Pincher Creek. The runway is at 1190 meters (3,903 feet) elevatin and is 2012 meters (6,600 feet) in length. Within an hur t 1.5 hur drive is the Lethbridge airprt, perating 24/7 with daily scheduled flights. There is als an n-site NAV CANADA Flight Services Statin that perates 16 hurs per day. Just a tw-hur drive away frm mst cmmunities is the Calgary Internatinal Airprt, Canada s third largest. Cnnecting passengers thrugh daily scheduled flights t 100 Internatinal destinatins, the airprt als serves as a majr carg hub fr Western Canada. RAIL Prducts can be shipped by rail n the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline. Lethbridge basts a majr freight handling facility, with tracks running in all fur cardinal directins. Prducts are easily shipped nrth t Calgary, suth t the U.S.A., east t large markets in suthern Ontari, and west t Vancuver and beynd t the Pacific Rim. A majr freight mainline runs thrugh the regin linking British Clumbia and Prt Metr Vancuver t a majr freight handling facility in Lethbridge. MAJOR TOURISM SECTOR EMPLOYERS Examples f cmpanies that cntribute t the grwth in this key industry are listed belw: Waymarker Hspitality Bayshre Inn & Prperties Head-Smashed-In Buffal Jump Castle Muntain Resrt Frank Slide Interpretive Centre A GLOBAL CONTENDER IN BUSINESS COSTS Wrk here. Live here. D business here. Get mre. Pay less. Alberta has ne f the mst cmpetitive tax envirnments in Nrth America and fsters innvatin thrugh its prbusiness attitude. Investrs cntinue t take advantage f its lw prperty, crprate and Page 8
persnal incme tax rates. Alberta is the nly prvince that des nt have a prvincial retail sales tax. It has n prvincial capital r payrll taxes, nr machinery and equipment taxes. Alberta has nne f the taxes typical in many ther prvinces and in the U.S.A. Small business wners pay lwer taxes (ttal f persnal and business incme tax, sales tax, gas tax, health premiums) in Alberta than in any ther prvince in Canada. The cmbined federal/prvincial crprate incme tax rate is 27% fr general businesses and 18% fr small businesses. Alberta has the lwest gasline taxes in Canada. Alberta Healthcare is the best funded in the cuntry, representing ne third f the annual prvincial budget. Canada prvides publically funded healthcare services, reducing the cst t private business. Specifically, suthwest Alberta s cmpetitive advantage lies in its vast land resurces, affrdable cst f business and cst f living, as well as access t markets: Lwer than prvincial average labr csts Small business wners pay lwer taxes (ttal f persnal and business incme, sales, gas taxes and health premiums) than they wuld in any ther prvince Average huse prices apprximately 58% lwer than the Alberta average Municipal cmmercial taxes are rughly $1500/$100,000 f assessment. This is rughly 25% lwer than the Calgary Regin fr cmparable enterprise perating space; Cmpetitively lw water, natural gas and electricity utility rates; and Internatinally cmpetitive manufacturing csts in green energy. The turism industry is grwing and has breadth including culture, recreatin, utdr adventure, and all seasn destinatins. Turism infrastructure, service and peratr pprtunities are present. The agricultural character f the regin cntributes t a stable ecnmic base. Cmmunities are effective service centers, and quality f life amenities are attracting technlgy and knwledge wrkers and entrepreneurs wh can chse where t establish. Page 9
EXISTING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Crwsnest Pass Cabin/Resrt Develpment Cardstn Cunty The Great Canadian Barn Dance Ldge Develpment Cardstn RV Campgrund Expansin Belly River Teepee and RV Campgrund Develpment Sentinel RV Resrt Develpment Watertn Ec-ldge Resrt Develpment Crwsnest Pass Ski Resrt Expansin MD f Willw Creek Cwby Actin Shting Facility Pincher Creek, Crwsnest Pass r Castle Muntain Zip line Develpment Pincher Creek RV Park and Campgrund Develpment Fr a mre in depth review f these pprtunities please cnsult the fllwing dcument: Gvernment f Alberta Suthwest Alberta Investment Opprtunities INCENTIVES Suthwest Alberta supprts existing, expanding and new businesses thrugh its strategic netwrk f 16 reginal cmmunities. Cllabrative initiatives with each ther, the City f Lethbridge, Lethbridge Cunty, the University f Lethbridge and Lethbridge Cllege encurage budding entrepreneurs, and prvide access t market and investment pprtunities. Travel Alberta Industry Prgrams and Resurces Website: www.industry.travelalberta.cm Phne: 1 (403) 648-1000 Email: inf@travelalberta.cm Turism Market Mnitr The mnthly Alberta Turism Market Mnitr highlights travel, accmmdatin and attendance statistics: Accmmdatin ccupancy rates and average daily rm rates Air passenger enplanements and deplanements Natinal Park visits Histric sites and museum attendance figures Emplyment in fd and accmmdatin sectr Restaurant receipts Highway traffic cunts The annual Turism Market Mdifier can be viewed here Page 10
If yu wuld like t receive an email that infrms yu when the updated Market Mnitr is available, please email research.innvatin@gv.ab.ca Cperative Marketing Investment Prgram The missin f the Cperative Marketing Investment Prgram is t increase the marketing capacity f ur industry partners. Their strategy is t grw turism revenues by investing in industry-led marketing partnerships that fster cllabratin, drive return n investment and align with Travel Alberta s business strategy. Cperative Marketing funding is available t Alberta s turism industry whse prjects cmply with the Cperative Marketing Guidelines and Eligible Expenses. The Canada s West Marketplace Schlarship Prgram Travel Alberta s strategy is t target high ptential internatinal markets with exprt-ready experiences. The Canada s West Marketplace Schlarship Prgram is designed t help industry shwcase Alberta travel experiences t internatinal tur peratrs at the annual Canada s West Marketplace. Attracting mre than 120 internatinal tur peratrs and whlesalers frm Eurpe, Asia Pacific and the Americas, Canada s West Marketplace is the mst effective way fr Alberta turism suppliers t present their prducts, experiences and services t turism buyers frm arund the wrld. The Canada s West Marketplace Schlarship Prgram is an innvative prgram that assists Alberta-based turism businesses that ffer exprt-ready prducts r services. The prgram prvides financial supprt and caching t attend Canada s West Marketplace. Certified Destinatin Management Executive Schlarship Prgram Destinatin Marketing Assciatin Internatinal (DMAI) is a recgnized leader in the Destinatin Marketing Organizatin (DMO) industry and their Certified Destinatin Management Executive (CDME) prgram is designed t help DMO leaders effectively adapt and manage increasing change and cmpetitin. Page 11
REGIONAL CONTACTS Cmmunity Futures Alberta Suthwest P.O. Bx 1270 436-24th Street Frt Macled, AB, Canada, T0L 0Z0 Phne: 403-5530264 Tll Free 1-800-565-4418 Email: inf@cfabsw.cm Web: www.suthwest.albertacf.cm Cmmunity Futures Crwsnest Pass P.O Bx 818 12501 20 th Avenue Blairmre, AB, Canada T0K 0E0 Phne: 403-562-8857 Email: :inf@cmmunityfuturescnp.ca Web: www.cmmunityfuturescnp.ca Suthwest Alberta Reginal Ecnmic Develpment Alliance P.O Bx 1041 #221 Prvincial Building 782 Main Street, Pincher Creek, AB, Canada Phne: 403-627-3373 Tll Free 1-888-627-3373 Email: mailt:inf@albertasuthwest.cm Web: www.albertasuthwest.cm Page 12