Travel News: Banff Pedestrian Zone Now Permanent, Hawaii Holiday Numbers Strong, Oil Rig Tourism And More

Pedestrians are getting a permanent break in Banff. Hawaii Tourism Boasts Strong Holiday Numbers. And indigenous tourism is poised for a Canadian boom. A few travel tidbits for today.

BANFF PED ZONE NOW PERMANENT

Banff’s popular downtown pedestrian zone is now a permanent feature in the wildly popular Alberta destination.

Town officials have decided to keep the zone in place from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving weekend every year.

Canadian Press reports the town decided to permanently fund the project, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of its annual operating budget.

“It is, however, still unclear whether the town would be able to continue to allow outdoor restaurant patios in that pedestrian zone after Parks Canada raised concerns about the commercialization of public space,” CP stated.

HAWAII TOURISM BOUNCING BACK

 

A strong holiday rebound in visitors to Hawaii, including a better than expected boost for Maui, have state tourism officials optimistic about the year ahead.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) says Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii Island all saw an increase in domestic passengers in the last week of December, compared to the same time the year before.

Compared to 2022, Maui was down 14% for the 2023 holiday period. But that’s a pretty good showing considering the devastating fires that destroyed most of Lahaina last August 8.

“I was totally shocked,” said Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association.

“The first week of festivities was as predicted, a bit grim, but they saw a nice ramp-up,” she told Hawaii News Now. “Some of my properties I’m pleased to report had almost 100% occupancy — one had 99 and one had 82.”

The drop in travellers to Maui meant the overall visitation numbers were down for the 2023 holiday season, but strong performances by other islands meant the total visitor numbers were down only 1.5%.

The HTA is encouraging responsible tourism to Maui in the wake of the fires. Visitors are being asked not to visit Lahaina or take photos of damaged areas.

They’re also encouraged to donate some of their time to a worthy cause, such as helping out at a food bank or taking part in a beach clean-up.

PORTER BEGINS LOS ANGELES SERVICE

Congrats to Porter Airlines for starting direct flights yesterday between Toronto Pearson and LAX in California. They’ll be starting Toronto Pearson to San Francisco International flights a week from today (Thursday, Jan. 25).

LYNX ANNOUNCES SASKATCHEWAN FLIGHTS

 

Lynx Air is heading to Regina.

The Calgary-based airline has announced new nonstop routes – Regina-Toronto and Regina-Vancouver – will start June 20.

The announcement marks the low-cost carrier’s first expansion into Saskatchewan. Regina will be the 23rd destination it serves across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

One-way tickets are priced as low as $79.

 

INDIGENOUS TOURISM IN CANADA POISED FOR DRAMATIC GROWTH

 

The COVID years were not kind to indigenous tourism operations in Canada. But the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada says better times are ahead. Much better.

ITAC President Keith Henry told Yahoo Canada that business has come roaring back the last couple of years, nearing the pre-pandemic peak. And while Ottawa and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada have set a goal of increasing tourism by 40% by 2030, for a total of $61 billion, Henry’s organization has set an even loftier target.

Based on the surveys, his organization believes Indigenous tourism can triple from its 2019 pandemic peak of $1.9 billion in revenues to $6 billion by 2030.

Henry said Canadian and international visitors are hungry to take in more Indigenous experiences, whether it’s a dance, cultural workshop or food tasting.

I’ve had several great indigenous tourism experiences in Canada, including a tour of Stanley Park in Vancouver and, just last summer, an experience with spirit horses in Chatham, Ontario.

 

THE JOYS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 

Interesting to see Western Australia (a personal fave destination I visited late last year) pitching for tourists from India. It’s a smart move considering the massive Indian population. And lord knows there’s a ton to see and do in WA.

Here’s a story I found on the Outlook Traveller website. And here’s a link to a story I wrote a couple years ago after my first visit to the delightful state of Western Australia.

 

OIL RIG BEING TURNED INTO TOURISM ATTRACTION: CLEVER MOVE IN SAUDI ARABIA

 

 

Most people consider off-shore oil rigs a blight on the environment. But Saudi Arabia has plans to turn some of theirs into adventure parks for tourists.   THE RIG is an entertainment project announced by the Saudi Public Investment Fund and is part of the government’s attempt to boost tourism to a Middle East country that’s still a mystery to most travellers.   THE RIG “will celebrate the legacy and heritage of Saudi Arabia’s long oil and gas history” with a “unique hospitality and adventure experience” that will include three hotels with a total of 800 rooms, 11 restaurants, an extreme sports and adventure park, a world-class marina, and helipads.   As well, they’re planning for a diving centre, an amusement park, a splash/water park, an E-sports centre, an immersive theatre and a multi-purpose arena.   The project will span a gross floor area of over 300,000 square meters. It’s located 40 km’s from the coastline, near Al Juraid Island and Berri Oil Field in the Arabian Gulf.   Officials say they hope to attract more than 900,000 annual visitors by 2032, appealing to a wide range of domestic, regional and international audiences, including adrenaline seekers, explorers and relaxation seekers.