Tourism in Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region A Summary of 2006 Visitor Numbers and Characteristics November 2009
Introduction Whether to see their friends and relatives, for business, or for pleasure, 2.89 million person-visits were made in 2006 to destinations in the Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region (TDR) by residents of Alberta, other Canadians, visitors from the United States, and overseas visitors. This includes same day and overnight trips for Albertans and other Canadians, and just overnight trips for U.S. and overseas visitors. To better understand the size and characteristics of these visitors, Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation commissioned Research Resolutions & Consulting to prepare a special analyses of the 2006 Travel Survey of Residents of Canada (TSRC) and the 2006International Travel Survey (ITS) that are both conducted by Statistics Canada. These consumer surveys provide tourism information for travel in Alberta by Canadians and trips to the province made by U.S. and overseas visitors. This summary highlights key findings only. For more information on tourism in Alberta, please contact Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation. Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region: 2006 Overview In 2006, the Canadian Rockies TDR received 15% of the total person-visits to Alberta. Residents of Alberta to the Canadian Rockies TDR accounted for 11% of the total person-visits to Alberta. Other Canadians to the Canadian Rockies TDR accounted for 11%, visitors from the United States accounted for 39% and overseas visitors to the Canadian Rockies TDR accounted for 69% of overnight overseas person visits to Alberta. Comparison of Tourism Numbers 2006 Number of Visitors Millions Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region Total Alberta Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region % of Alberta Overnight Person-Visits 1.94 10.25 19% Total Person-Visits 2.89 19.56 15% Origin of Visitors Alberta 1.73 15.45 11% Other Canada 0.27 2.40 11% United States 0.37 0.94 39% Overseas 0.53 0.77 69% Note: The reader is reminded that travellers to Alberta could visit more than one Tourism Destination Region during their trip.
Who Travels to the Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region? All trips: In 2006, the Canadian Rockies TDR received 15% (2.89 million) of all the person-visits to Alberta. Of the 2.89 million person-visits, 1.73 million (60%) were by Albertans. Another 265,000 person-visits (9%) were by residents of other parts of Canada. Of the remaining 903,000 person-visits (31%), 13% came from the U.S. and 18% arrived from overseas. Overseas and U.S. visitors accounted for 529,000 and 374,000 overnight person-visits to the Canadian Rockies TDR, respectively. Visitors from the Calgary and Area TDR accounted for 41% of the person-visits made to the Canadian Alberta 60% Origin of Person-Visits in Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region in 2006 (N = 2.89 Million Person-Visits) Overseas 18% Other Canada 9% U.S. 13% Rockies TDR. Residents of the Edmonton and Area TDR accounted for 11% of the total person-visits made to the Canadian Rockies TDR. Overnight trips: Approximately 67% of all visits in the Canadian Rockies TDR included at least one overnight stop, yielding 1.94 million overnight person-visits in 2006. Residents of the Calgary and Area TDR accounted for 19% of all overnight travel to the Canadian Rockies TDR. This was followed by residents from the Edmonton and Area TDR (14%), and visitors from the United Kingdom (8%). Main Purpose of Overnight Travel Overnight visits to the Canadian Rockies TDR totalled 1.94 million person-visits in 2006. Approximately 75% of the overnight visitors to the Canadian Rockies TDR stated that the main purpose of their trip was for pleasure. Fifteen per cent of the visitors to the Canadian Rockies TDR stated visiting friends and relatives as the main purpose of their trip, 6% stated business as their main purpose and 4% stated other reasons. Main Purpose of Overnight Trip to Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region in 2006 (N = 1.94 Million Overnight Visits) Visiting Friends and Relatives 15% Other 4% Business 6% Pleasure 75%
Accommodation in the Canadian Rockies TDR Over the course of 2006, visitors spent 39.13 million person-nights in Alberta. Of these, 21% (6.71 million person-nights) were spent in the Canadian Rockies TDR. Fifty-two per cent of these person-nights (3.49 million) were spent in hotels. Seventeen per cent was spent in other commercial fixed roof properties, 13% was spent in homes of friends and relatives, 12% was spent in camping/trailer parks and 6% was spent in motels. Accommodation Used in the Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region in 2006 (N = 6.71 Million Person-Nights) Hotel 3.49 Other Commerical Fixed Roof Properties 1.16 Friends and Relatives 0.86 Camping/Trailer Parks Motel 0.42 0.79 Millions of Person-Nights Average Length of Stay The average length of stay for all visitors to the Canadian Rockies TDR, which includes Albertans, other Candians, visitors from the United States and overseas, is 3.5 nights. Visitors from Alberta Average Length of Stay in the Canadian Rockies Tourism Destination Region in 2006 All Visitors 3.5 Canada 2.6 Alberta 2.2 B.C. 2.2 Saskatchewan 3.4 Ontario 3.8 United States 3.9 Overseas 5.0 and British Columbia both had the shortest average length of stay at 2.2 nights each. The longest average length of stay is attributed to overseas visitors with 5.0 nights on average for each visit. Visitors from the United States followed with an average of 3.9 nights per trip. Visitors from Ontario stayed an average 3.8 nights in the Canadian Rockies TDR.
Seasonality Visitation to the Canadian Rockies TDR is at its highest in the third quarter (July, August and September) with 43% of the overnight person-visits occurring at this time. This is followed with 24% visiting during the second quarter (April, May and June) and 18% visiting during the first quarter (January, February and March). Finally, visitation to the Canadian Rockies TDR is at its lowest during the fourth quarter (October, November and December), with 15% of the total overnight person-visits occurring during this time. Calendar Quarter of Overnight Visits in the Canadian Rockies Area Tourism Destination Region - 2006 January - March April - June July - September October - December All Overnight 18% 24% 43% 15% By Market Alberta 23% 21% 38% 17% Other Canada 21% 19% 46% 26% United States 8% 32% 54% 6% Overseas 9% 32% 47% 12% Thirty-eight per cent of the person-visits from Alberta to the Canadian Rockies TDR occur in the third quarter (July, August and September). Another 23% of the person-visits made by Albertans occur in the first quarter (January, February and March). Forty-six per cent of the person-visits from other parts of Canada are made to the Canadian Rockies TDR in the third quarter (July, August and September). Just under half (47%) of all person-visits made by overseas visitors to the Canadian Rockies TDR occur in the third quarter (July, August and September) and 32% occur in the second quarter (April, May and June). Fifty-four per cent of the person-visits made to the Canadian Rockies TDR from the United States occur in the third quarter (July, August and September) and 32% occur in the second quarter (April, May and June). For more information, please contact: Kristy Hubscher, Tourism Research Analyst Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation 780-415-1224 kristy.hubscher@gov.ab.ca ISBN: 978-0-7785-5796-8 ISSN: 1718-2247