REGINA — Tourist continue to discover Saskatchewan.
Recent domestic and international visitation figures show that Saskatchewan’s tourism industry is growing.
The latest data released by Statistics Canada demonstrate a strong increase in tourism expenditures in Saskatchewan. Travel spending reached almost $2.85 billion in 2023, outpacing the $2.4 billion in spending that was generated in 2022. Similarly, hotel occupancy rates and revenue for 2023 showed significant growth over the previous year.
Domestic travel is also showing strong numbers. Saskatchewan experienced 21 per cent growth in overnight visitation in 2023, the most out of all Canadian provinces.
In addition to domestic travel, visitation from the United States has increased, with 2023 figures showing a 54 per cent increase in U.S. travellers by car. With the re-introduction of an air route between Minneapolis and Saskatoon, air arrivals increased by 46 per cent in 2023. In addition, fishing and hunting licence sales rose by 26 per cent over 2022.
“The tourism industry was heavily affected by the downturn in travel over the last few years, not only within the province but on a national and international level,” Tourism Saskatchewan CEO Jonathan Potts said.
“The latest figures released by Statistics Canada, along with other positive indicators, demonstrate that tourism in our province is on the upswing. It is gratifying to see that people are embracing Saskatchewan as an enticing destination.”
The Conference Board of Canada predicts that tourism revenues will continue to increase. Long-term, the Conference Board of Canada estimates that Saskatchewan will reach approximately $3.57 billion in annual visitor expenditures in 2028.
