The rising cost of fuel is making it more expensive to operate the boats. And he says a shortage of rental cars could make it hard for would-be customers to make the trip from the city to the rural coast.
While leisure travel is expected to drive this summer’s recovery, he said it could be years before the city sees the full return of large-scale conferences. Those events are a big boost to local business, whether it’s florists, caterers, or audio-visual companies, Weir said. He had to turn down some requests this spring as he scrambled to find guides, after the business had scaled back to a skeleton operation during the pandemic.
American visitors are also slowly starting to return to one of the most iconic tourist attractions on the Prairies, said West Edmonton Mall general manager Danielle Woo. But with inflation raising the cost of travel, she said the mall has seen much of its business from the “staycation” crowd, either from within Alberta or nearby provinces.