CONTINUED STRENGTH FOR TOURISM IN SASKATCHEWAN

Tourism continues to be strong in Saskatchewan, and the upcoming long weekend is sure to see even more visitors exploring the province.

"Saskatchewan's parks, rich history, diverse culture, festivals and exceptional hospitality continue to attract people," Minister of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Dustin Duncan said. "People from near and far know that Saskatchewan is a remarkable place to visit."

Some of the positive indicators of the strength of the province's tourism industry can be found in numbers from the first half of the year which show:

• 517,000 visits to Tourism Saskatchewan's websites, an increase of 33 per cent over the same period in 2008;
• 17,951 people stopped at Tourism Saskatchewan's Visitor Reception Centres within the first six weeks of opening, a 15.6 per cent increase over 2008; and
• 51,735 inquiries (phone, e-mail, reader service listings, and in-person) to Tourism Saskatchewan as of July 15, 2009, an increase of 7.8 per cent over the same period in 2008.

"Government recognized the value of tourism by doubling our tourism spending and investing in a number of tourism initiatives. The numbers we are seeing indicate those investments are paying dividends," Duncan said.

Another indicator of the strength of the tourism industry is hotel occupancy numbers. Room demand at the end of May was up 1.5 per cent, compared to the same five months of 2008. Regina and Saskatoon hotels continued to post strong occupancy levels during June and early July, averaging occupancies of 71.9 per cent to the week ending July 11, 2009.

Although the total number of Americans crossing into Saskatchewan is down from 2008, there is an increase in the number of Americans travelling overnight or longer. This increase is the highest in Canada.

The numbers, collected by Tourism Saskatchewan, are important to members of the tourism industry and government.

"Saskatchewan's tourism sector faces a number of challenges that are beyond our control," Tourism Saskatchewan President/CEO Dr. Lynda Haverstock said. "Thoughtful and strategic planning are necessary to build upon our strengths and capitalize on opportunities. Given the knowledge and expertise of its marketing and research professionals, Tourism Saskatchewan is well-positioned to lead the process."

Meanwhile, final numbers from the 2008 tourism year show a 7.8 per cent increase in travel expenditures, amounting to nearly $1.6 billion. Visitor expenditures among Saskatchewan and Alberta travellers rose 8.1 per cent and 12.7 per cent, respectively.

For more information on planning a Saskatchewan tourism experience, visit www.sasktourism.com.

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For more information, contact:
Art Jones
Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-3506
Email: art.jones@gov.sk.ca
Cell: (306) 550-5927

Regan Mathiason
Tourism Saskatchewan
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-7815
Email: regan.mathiason@sasktourism.com