Minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism Todd Loewen, photo courtesy Alberta.ca

By Erika Rolling

Provincial Politics

Funding for rural tourism to lesser-known destinations in Budget 2023

Apr 4, 2023 | 12:05 PM

$10 million is being dispersed to Travel Alberta over a two-year period through Budget 2023 to develop environmentally sustainable year-round experiences outside of the province’s well-known, popular destinations.

Minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism and MLA for Central Peace Notley, Todd Loewen says we must expand our visitor economy by providing enjoyable, enriching tourism experiences in rural Alberta beyond our big cities and eastern slopes.

“This is an ambitious goal, it demands a comprehensive approach requiring cooperative funding directly invested in communities, businesses, and associations primarily in rural areas.”

The funding is to expand: new and unique tourism products, infrastructure initiatives, and visitor programming, along with community investment; “that empowers destination management organizations, leading strategic initiatives in our local and rural areas.”

Loewen says, “These efforts are instrumental in growing Alberta’s visitor economy, creating and promoting must-visit destinations throughout the province.”

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The province is increasing funding to Travel Alberta by 14 per cent in Budget 2023. The agency funded 166 projects across 73 communities in 2022 – about 75 per cent of the projects and 70 per cent of the funding were in smaller urban and rural areas of the province.

Loewen says, “it will provide support for projects to expand and enhance unique, made-in-Alberta experiences like; regional agri-tourism, interpretive and educational programming, and local adventure and outdoor touring opportunities.”

He says this is also the largest provincial contribution made towards the development and marketing of Indigenous-owned and operated visitor experiences.

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Nate Horner says, “Rural Alberta and Indigenous communities know how to welcome visitors with open arms and create memories to last a lifetime. By investing in rural tourism and marketing, our government is helping build more capacity to drive innovation, create jobs and enhance Alberta’s reputation as a bucket-list travel destination.”

Horner says the government agrees with rural and Indigenous communities when they engaged with them for their five-year Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan, to expand and maximize the “untapped potential in rural and Indigenous tourism.”

The government says it’s taking action to grow the tourism industry to a $20 billion opportunity over the next ten years and develop rural tourism to get to that goal.