Canada’s tourism industry fights wildfire-related cancellations

Stunning scenery and iconic views are the standard draw for tourists eager to take in the beauty of Alberta.

“Two days in Calgary, two days in Lake Louise, two days in Jasper and three days in Banff,” said Mexican tourist Roberto Peralti, describing his travel plans over the coming days.

But climate change could put plans like his — and the economic benefits that go with them — on ice.

Peralti, like others, came to Canada hoping to see glaciers and Alberta’s towering mountain views.

Exactly a year ago Thursday, those mountains were shrouded in smoke. Much of Alberta has seen waves of smoke already coming south from the wildfires in the province’s north and B.C. this year.

For Alpine Helicopters, it can mean the cancellation of up to 50 of its tourist flights every day.

“We do see a drop in bookings,” tourism and marketing manager Brad Paul said. “We try to reschedule people to a different day, hopefully, if the smoke clears. Obviously, if it doesn’t clear, that is lost revenue for our company.”

A Destination Canada survey last spring suggested more than half of Americans planning a trip to Canada were reconsidering their plans. The majority said wildfires were a factor.

And that’s why tourism officials, gathering at a national conference in Edmonton this week, are eager to share the message: not all of Canada is on fire.

“Let’s make sure that when we’re talking about the wildfires in Canada, that we’re talking very specifically about the locations and that we’re advising travellers to pay very close attention to single-sourced information that is directly related to that region and that region alone,” said Beth Potter, president of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

She said many international travellers underestimate the scope of Canada’s geography and that can lead to unnecessary cancellations.

But for many, even the smoky haze that travels across provinces can be reason enough to find fun elsewhere.

“We often see in Banff, every year when we have forest fire season the smoke can roll into things and that can obviously bring challenges for sure,” said the MP for Banff-Airdrie, Blake Richards. “But we have so much to offer here in Canada.”

Tourism brings in about $ 100 billion every year across Canada, with about 10 per cent going to Alberta.