Released on June 10, 2024
Recent domestic and international visitor numbers show that Saskatchewan’s tourism industry is on a growth trajectory.
According to the latest data released by Statistics Canada, tourism spending in Saskatchewan is on a significant upswing. Travel spending is expected to reach approximately $2.85 billion in 2023, surpassing the $2.4 billion in spending generated in 2022. Similarly, hotel occupancy and revenue in 2023 saw significant increases compared to the previous year.
Domestic travel is also showing strong numbers, with Saskatchewan seeing a 21 per cent increase in overnight stays in 2023, the largest increase of any province in Canada.
“Saskatchewan’s tourism industry continues to grow the economy, create new jobs and provide unique experiences for visitors to our province,” said Saskatchewan Tourism Minister Jeremy Harrison. “In the Saskatchewan Growth Plan, our government set an ambitious goal of increasing annual tourism spending by 50 per cent by 2030. These latest figures show that our tourism industry is on track to achieve that goal.”
In addition to domestic travel, visitor numbers from the United States are also on the rise, with 2023 figures showing a 54 percent increase in U.S. road travelers. The reintroduction of air service between Minneapolis and Saskatoon led to a 46 percent increase in air arrivals in 2023. Additionally, fishing and hunting license sales increased 26 percent over 2022.
“The tourism industry has been heavily impacted by the downturn in travel over the past few years, not only within the province, but also nationally and internationally,” said Jonathan Potts, CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan. “The latest figures released by Statistics Canada, along with other positive indicators, show that tourism in our province is on the upswing. Our organization is focused on achieving the goals set out in the Saskatchewan Growth Plan and helping the tourism industry reach its goal of $3.6 billion in annual travel spending by 2030. The efforts of our industry partners, supported by sound research and innovative strategies, will help us get there. It’s gratifying to see people embracing Saskatchewan as an attractive travel destination.”
The Conference Bureau of Canada predicts tourism revenues will continue to grow. In the long term, the Conference Bureau projects annual visitor spending in Saskatchewan will reach about $3.57 billion in 2028.
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