The big winner of the 10-day celebration of western culture every year is the local business community, and 2023 is forecasted to yield its biggest payout yet, challenging the record set in 2019.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
A Conference Board of Canada economic impact study in 2019 found that for 12 months the Stampede generated $540 million for Alberta, $282 million of that over the week-and-a-half of the festival. Stampede was hit hard by the pandemic, but in 2022 with a smaller scale event, it still attracted 1,216,000 people through the turnstiles — not far off the numbers in the last full year before COVID-19.
One key is the return of international guests, who were largely unable to come last year due to pandemic restrictions. Americans alone usually account for between 10 to 13 per cent of attendees. The effect is already being felt in hotels, many of which are at 90 to 100 per cent capacity throughout the city. Restaurants will also reap the benefits of an influx of visitors and even Calgarians choosing to dine out while making the trip to the Stampede grounds. Meanwhile, small, independent retailers in the downtown are hoping to cash in on touristy items such as Calgary-branded merchandise and cowboy hats.
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