Lethbridge tourism and hospitality sectors optimistic ahead of summer season – Lethbridge

Hotter temperatures aren’t the one factor returning to southern Alberta.

Tourism Lethbridge CEO Erin Crane mentioned she is seeing extra travellers stopping on the info centre, arriving at a tempo just like pre-pandemic ranges.

“Going again to even 2019, we’re beginning to see a few of those self same numbers coming in,” she mentioned.

“Our customer stats are about the identical, and that’s our objective for this yr, to recapture the place we have been.”

That increase can be extending into the hospitality sector. Lethbridge Lodging Affiliation (LLA) officers say enterprise within the month of March was 3 times greater than final yr.

They are saying they imagine the rationale behind that enhance is the flexibility to host a number of occasions just like the 2022 Brier with minimal public well being restrictions.

“We completely wanted that March from a number of views,” LLA challenge supervisor Shilpa Stocker mentioned. “Not solely the income perspective, but in addition to point out we are able to do it.

“We are able to host occasions. We’re able to offering the hospitality that Lethbridge is understood for.”

Whereas the present circumstances have extra travellers coming into town, representatives like Crane are additionally hitting the highway to advertise the world at totally different occasions throughout the province.

“We’re competing with all the opposite locations for these customer {dollars},” she mentioned. “It’s actually necessary that we’re out, telling folks about Lethbridge and the alternatives — and we’re differentiating ourselves from them.”

The hope is the profitable spring will probably be a catalyst for a good busier summer time as vacationers start planning their holidays.

“We’re wanting ahead to internet hosting,” Stocker mentioned.

“It’s past survival for us. It’s one thing we’ve wanted for the final couple of years.”

“We’re excited for a busy summer time season,” Crane mentioned.