An initiative to turn the Alberta badlands into the next tourist destination of choice will be a huge financial benefit to communities in southeastern Alberta, said one of its organizers.
The eerie rock formations worn into strange shapes by wind and water, a world-class dinosaur museum, historic pottery shops, rich aboriginal history and rivers snaking through deep valleys are already major tourist attractions in the area. However, the distances between the sites are a deterrent to many travellers not used to driving for hours.
By linking the major destinations with new reasons to stop, the small towns in the region will create the extra attractions to draw tourists, said Doug Jones, chair of Canadian Badlands Ltd.
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Few small towns and villages have enough attractions to entice visitors east of the busy Highway 2 corridor that links Edmonton and Calgary. But joining with the larger attractions under the Canadian Badlands marketing umbrella will create a tourist circuit worth visiting.
“What are you going to do for four hours in Oyen unless you go golfing?” said Jones.
If Oyen hooked up with other nearby towns, tourists would be tempted to spend more time and money in the area, he said.
“The goal is to extend their trip an extra day in our area,” said Jones.
Studies have shown tourists want four hours of activities for one hour of driving.
“One tourism experience is not enough to attract visitors,” said Elizabeth Kuhnel, with the province’s Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture department.
Marty Ebert with Travel Alberta said tour operators have long requested another destination other than the Rocky Mountains in Alberta.
The tourism group was intrigued when the idea was floated to create a Canadian Badlands tourist destination in the southeast of the province.
“The badlands are an ideal destination area,” said Ebert, of the area stretching from Stettler in the north, Highway 2 on the west, the Saskatchewan border on the east and the American border on the south.
“We need another icon and we think this is the one,” said Jones.
When the idea was pitched to the area’s reeves and mayors, they were concerned about creating one more organization, said Jones. Many were wary the focus would centre on the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, the area’s biggest draw, and not help attract tourists to their area.
Key to winning support was assurance that Canadian Badlands Ltd., was an umbrella group to help local tourism organizations brand their region, not compete with them. Thirty-six of the region’s towns and municipalities have joined the organization and another six have applied to join.
“It’s a huge opportunity for all municipalities to join in and make it a collaborative effort,” said Jones.
This year the Canadian Badlands group wants to focus on showing the area’s communities and municipalities how the badlands logo and brand can be used in their existing tourist attractions or regional products.
Jones said residents need to become tourist ambassadors. He recently returned from Whitehorse where the service sector is trained to help tourists.
“They have the tourist mentality. We’re not used to doing that,” he said.
