‘It’s become more of a destination’: Clearwater-area looking ahead to summer tourism season

It’s not clear why that is, though its likely due to increased marketing by Tourism Wells Gray as part of the effort to show off Wells Gray Provincial Park and it crown jewel, Helmcken Falls.

“There’s been a really big push internationally as well as domestically for travellers coming up from Vancouver as well as up to the Rockies,” Hanna said. “It’s really nice to see. I’d say that has probably had an impact on people’s travel plans.”

Accommodation providers – like Louise Moyer, who owns Canadian Bear Guesthouse – told CFJC Today the European market is still key to her business, even though bookings are down slightly this year. Moyer thinks its due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, fluctuating fuel costs, and inflation.

“I don’t know that with any certainty, but its the only thing that, I think, would affect the difference from last year to this year,” Moyer said. “One of the things that I am noticing is a lot more of my guests share with me that they had planned to travel to the U.S. but now they are coming here instead.”

And they’re also staying longer as well – as are local travellers – in part because Clearwater has become more of a destination and not just an overnight stop for people going between Edmonton and Vancouver.

“Surprisingly, we haven’t seen an impact yet with fuel prices really seeming to have an impact on people’s travel plans,” Hanna said. “We’re still seeing a heavy contingency coming across from Alberta, and that’s likely due to over-tourism in a lot of parts of Alberta.”

What is keeping tourists away is the risk of wildfires, as some international travellers in particular appear to be avoiding trips to Canada in July and August, choosing instead to travel in May, June and September.

“Their concern is when they see on the news that Canada is on fire,” Moyer said. “A lot of European travel magazines are telling people to travel outside of that July and August period where we typically would experience those wildfires.”

“We’ve definitely more of a trend with travellers pushing their plans into September,” Hanna added. “September has actually become an increasingly busy month for accommodations in the Clearwater area.”

But Moyer said Clearwater’s growing presence in the world of tourism is also helping to ease some of those fears.

“Now that Clearwater and Wells Gray has become more of a destination, its easier to assure people that they’re safe here and that there are still a lot of reasons to come to Clearwater,” Moyer said.

“It’s been really good so far this year, ” Hanna added of the current season. “We are actually up almost 40 per cent in visitations just for our opening month at the visitor centre in May. We’re chatting with the food and beverage industry and they’re also up around 20 per cent for the same period last year.”

“It’s nice to see the increasing numbers in visitors to the area.”

by Victor Kaisar

‘It’s become more of a destination’: Clearwater-area looking ahead to summer tourism season

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