Latest news with #TourismLethbridge
CTV News
25-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Looking to the future: Tourism Lethbridge working on new strategic plan
Tourism Lethbridge has begun the development of a new strategic plan to guide the organization into its next chapter. Tourism Lethbridge has begun the development of a new strategic plan to guide the organization into its next chapter. The current plan, developed for 2021 to 2025, has served as a foundational roadmap, and while its core pillars remain relevant, the board of directors says it is now prioritizing a shift that reflects the evolving needs of the tourism industry, stakeholders and the city of Lethbridge. The board says the new plan will continue to focus on organizational sustainability, driving economic growth, stakeholder and partner engagement, along with brand and destination development. The plan will include a fifth pillar for advocacy and influence. 'We're looking at (whether) people's habits changed with more staycations versus longer travel trips, so some of those things need to be changed, but we're also seeing some amazing facilities and assets right in our city that really need to be told far and wide and let people know that yes, we're a hub and there's so many great UNESCO sites out there, but there's also fantastic facilities and fantastic events that are happening right here,' said Greg Robinson, Tourism Lethbridge board chairperson. Tourism Lethbridge hopes to have the new strategic plan finalized and ready for implementation in 2026.
CTV News
24-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Lethbridge, southern Alberta seeing boost from domestic tourism
Tourists have been flocking to destinations in and around Lethbridge, and many are Canadians who decided to travel closer to home this summer. Tourists have been flocking to destinations in and around Lethbridge, and many are Canadians who decided to travel closer to home this summer. Plenty of people have been coming into the Tourism Lethbridge office asking about things to do in the city. A large portion of those people are from Alberta. 'For Lethbridge, things are looking really good. We've been seeing a lot of visitors again. Our community always steps up and puts on amazing events, which brings in a lot of those visitors,' said Erin Crane, Tourism Lethbridge CEO. Tourists have been flocking to destinations in and around Lethbridge, and many are Canadians who decided to travel closer to home this summer. Tourists have been flocking to destinations in and around Lethbridge, and many are Canadians who decided to travel closer to home this summer. Waterton Lakes National Park is also feeling a surge of domestic travellers. While more locals are visiting, Americans and other international tourists are still arriving in large numbers. The Canada Strong Pass, which allows free entry to national parks this summer, is also a big draw. 'It's been a great season so far. A lot of Canadians, a lot of locals, they're staying at home, visiting all of our beautiful parks. So, we really are seeing an uptick in day traffic,' said Shameer Suleman, Waterton Park Chamber of Commerce president. Tourists have been flocking to destinations in and around Lethbridge, and many are Canadians who decided to travel closer to home this summer. Tourists have been flocking to destinations in and around Lethbridge, and many are Canadians who decided to travel closer to home this summer. There are also new attractions for tourists to take in this summer. Saddle Hill Ranch Cabins in Pincher Creek opened a few weeks ago. The cabins are made from converted grain silos and give guests a first-hand look at ranching. 'People have really loved it. We've gotten some really good feedback from the guests that we've had so far. Really unique experience. They kind of get a feel of the culture that is the ranching world down here,' said Breanna Green, the owner of the cabins. Expectations are high for the rest of the summer tourism season as well. With big marquee events like Whoop-Up Days on the horizon, plenty of visitors will head to southern Alberta. 'We've got the Niitsitapi rodeo happening this weekend, Open Farm Days coming up. There's some really exciting things happening here,' said Crane.
CTV News
04-07-2025
- CTV News
Increase in summer highway traffic has southern Alberta officials urging caution, patience
As many hit the road for summer vacations, the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is reminding drivers to be prepared. As many hit the road for summer vacations, the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is reminding drivers to be prepared. 'Make certain your vehicle is safe. Do a walk-around on it, check your fluids, check your tire levels, especially if you have a trailer,' said Dennis Porter, a supervisor with AMA's drivers' education. On Friday, a steady stream of vehicles and RVs could be seen leaving Lethbridge on Highway 3 west of the city. 'Throughout the first six months of the year, we do know here at the Visitor Information Centre we've seen an increase in the number of people compared to last year,' said Erin Crane, Tourism Lethbridge CEO. Crane says that number is only going to go up throughout the next two months. Last year, Tourism Lethbridge saw 175,000 people from out of town attend events in the city. In June, the federal government announced the Canada Strong Pass, which includes free admission into Canada's national parks this summer. But Crane says the incentive may actually draw tourists away from the parks and to smaller destinations with fewer crowds. 'This is a great opportunity for us here across the southern Alberta region,' explained Crane. 'We really are that alternative to some of those key areas like Waterton Lakes, Banff and Jasper.' It's not just Albertans hitting the road this summer. Crane says the organization has seen an increase in Americans visiting Lethbridge over the past few months. According to Statistics Canada, in May, return trips from the U.S. at land border crossings declined by 38.1 per cent compared to the year before. 'When we can attract people from the United States, that increases that visitor spending, and even more so if we can attract people from international markets,' said Crane. However, the added traffic does come with an increased risk for travellers. 'The summer months, to be honest, those are usually where there are more fatalities on the roads,' said Porter. According to the Alberta government, 297 people died on Alberta's highways in 2023. Porter says the most proactive thing drivers can do this summer is to be patient on the roads. 'When you're relaxed about your time and you know you're not rushed, you'll have a tendency to be a little bit safer,' he said.
CTV News
10-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Explore Lethbridge app aims to cut through noise when looking for something to do
Tourism Lethbridge has launched the Explore Lethbridge app, to help put the city's tourism offerings into the hands of locals and visitors. Tourism Lethbridge has officially launched its new Explore Lethbridge app. The app is available online, with no download required, at The platform is helping to put the city's diverse tourism offerings into the hands of locals and visitors alike. The app debuts with a curated experience called 'Sip, Taste, Explore' that invites users to discover a mix of culinary hot spots, local attractions and retail shops. Tourism Lethbridge says the app will serve as a hub for everything happening in the city. 'We have so much on our website (and) there's so much on everybody else's websites, so between ourselves, between our partners, between the local businesses, there's so much out there and when you Google what's there to do in Lethbridge, you get a million different things,' said Dominika Wojcik, Tourism Lethbridge senior director of communications. 'What we're trying to do is really curate those experiences for people, so that they can just pull up the app and have everything in one spot and be able to quickly figure out where they want to go.' Tourism Lethbridge worked with the University of Lethbridge to develop the app. The platform will also provide the organization with check-in data to help identify visitor interests and movement patterns throughout the city.
CTV News
05-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Nikka Yuko executive director Michelle Day Miles earns prestigious certification
Nikka Yuko's executive director has been given a prestigious certification. Michelle Day Miles earned the certified destination management executive designation. The certification is the highest individual accreditation in the tourism industry, which only about 400 people in the world have earned. Day Miles has spent the past four years working toward the designation. She believes her new designation will not only help Nikka Yuko but also the tourism industry in Lethbridge as a whole. Nikka Yuko executive director Michelle Day Miles has earned a prestigious certification, the certified destination management executive designation. Nikka Yuko executive director Michelle Day Miles has earned a prestigious certification, the certified destination management executive designation. 'I want to make sure that taking that course, so I could understand all levels of destination management and all the stakeholders that I need to engage here to take Nikka Yuko and the City of Lethbridge into that larger global scale, in the tourism industry,' said Day Miles. Day Miles has also sat on the Tourism Lethbridge board for five years and served as board chair for three.
