Regina’s tourism community highlights impact of travel industry in Regina: tourism week to be marked with multiple announcements

Together with leaders from across the tourism sector, Tourism Regina is coming together to speak out about the impact of the sector on the economy and the community.

“Tourism is a key contributor to our economy, not only on a national level but also right here in Regina,” Tourism Regina’s Chief Tourism and Visitor Growth Officer Chelsea Galloway said. “Tourism also means business in our community, since more than 8,000 jobs and 354 businesses in our region are directly supported by the industry.”

To help mark Tourism Week, attractions and tourism businesses around the city including Mosaic Stadium, Conexus Arts Centre and the RCMP Heritage Centre will light up in green in support of Regina’s tourism sector. Wherever possible, businesses are encouraged to join in. This year, Canada Tourism Week aims to recognize the resilience of the industry through this unprecedented time and calls on all Canadians to take the 2021 Tourism Pledge to Travel in Canada – keeping tourism spending here at home.

Prior to the pandemic, tourism was a thriving industry, accounting for an estimated 2.1% of Regina’s GDP or $700M annually, 2.49 million visits/stays per year. However, the impact of Covid-19 has devastated the tourism economy – and a year later, the recovery of the sector remains stagnant.

“Without question, it’s been a hard year for tourism businesses. At the same time, we know how important Tourism is to our livelihood and our way of life in Regina,” Judith Veresuk, Executive Director, Regina Downtown Business Improvement District said. “Our entire sector has come together like never before and we’re going to come out of this pandemic stronger than ever. That’s a great reason to celebrate tourism week.”

Throughout the pandemic, tourism and hospitality businesses have done remarkable work adapting to Covid protocols and ensuring that the public is as safe as possible. Regina’s WHL Hub is another example of the community proving that it can come together to deliver safe, successful events. Tourism Regina’s #SeeYQR Safely campaign salutes the work of tourism businesses in creating a safe place for visitors and residents to enjoy Regina experiences.

Over the course of Tourism Week, Tourism Regina and its partners will make several Tourism sector announcements, all of which are part of a broader short-term recovery plan for the sector. While still being finalized, the plan is the result of hard work from key industry stakeholders and will be formally announced in the coming weeks.

To learn more about Tourism Week, visit tourismcounts.ca/