Tourism

Tourism in Southeast Saskatchewan

Provincial Overview

Tourism is an economic generator in Saskatchewan. Many communities have developed a tourism market for products, services, events and attractions to appeal to visitors from inside the province and abroad. A short list of these, definitely not exclusive, includes: regional, provincial and national parks, annual community sporting and cultural events, festivals, historic sites and trails.

  • Travel and tourism generates an estimated $1.59 billion in travel receipts in the Province of Saskatchewan annually (2009 statistics from Saskatchewan Tourism).

  • Saskatchewan’s tourism sector consists of five component industry groups (food and beverage services, transportation, accommodation, recreation and entertainment, and travel services). Employing 60,360 people in 2006, tourism accounted for 9.4% of the province’s total employment.

  • According to 2009 Statistics Canada data, 918,000 person visits were made in the southeast region in 2008 by Saskatchewan residents, other Canadians, and visitors from the USA and overseas.

  • There are 4,005 tourism products and events in Saskatchewan – 2,986 products and 1,019 events.

Regional Overview

  • About two-fifths of all visits in southeast Saskatchewan included at least one night spent in the region (39%), yielding 360,000 overnight person visits.

  • In 2008, tourism generated about $71.9 million in consumer spending in southeast Saskatchewan.

  • According to Saskatchewan Tourism in 2010, there were approximately 160 tourism events and products being offered in the region during all four seasons of the year. Sixty-two of these offerings were events: festivals, cultural, and sporting activities, while 98 were products: museums, art galleries, historic sites, regional and provincial parks.

    • Travel and tourism generates an estimated $13.2 million in travel receipts annually in the southeast region.

    • In 2010, there were approximately 723 people employed in tourism-related industries living in the Saskatchewan southeast.

  • In 2010, there were 64 tourism products and events being offered in the Estevan, Saskatchewan Legislative Constituency – 39 products and 25 events.

    • Travel and tourism generates an estimated $13.9 million in travel receipts annually in Estevan.

    • In 2009, there were approximately 893 people employed in tourism-related industries living in Estevan constituency.

  • In 2010, there are 96 tourism products and events in the Cannington Legislative Constituency–(which includes both Cannington Manor and Moose Mountain Provincial Park) 70 products and 26 events.

    • Travel and tourism generates an estimated $14.3 million in travel receipts annually in Cannington.

    • In 2009, there are approximately 611 people employed in tourism-related industries living in the Cannington constituency.

    • Cannington Manor and Moose Mountain Provincial Park saw 279,480 visits.

The abundance of possibilities from experiences in nature, parks and walking tours to museums, historic landmarks, golf courses, theatre, and casinos, the quaint, unique and rare locations have strengthened the southeast region’s appeal as a destination location.

A sampling of some tourism events that attract people from outside the region includes:

  • The Biennial Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Show in Weyburn

  • Baseball tournaments, sports days, curling bonspiels, and hockey tournaments in many communities in the southeast Saskatchewan region

  • The Dickens Village Festival in Carlyle

  • The Moose Mountain Professional Rodeo in Kennedy, Saskatchewan

  • T he Midale Pioneer Echoes – An annual event which celebrates the early pioneer day with activities including the Heritage Village Threshing Bee.

  • The Redvers & District Oil Showcase

  • The Souris Valley Theatre located in beautiful Woodlawn Regional Park on the outskirts of Estevan, Saskatchewan produces two shows every summer. The theatre’s reputation for top quality family entertainment has spread across North America.

A sampling of some tourism products that attract people from outside the region include:

  • The Bear Claw Casino

  • Cannington Manor Historic Park

  • Drag Racing and the excitement and adrenaline of Moto Cross from June through August.

  • Historical museums and art galleries in many communities including: Alameda, Carlyle, Estevan, Kipling, Midale, Oxbow, Radville, Weyburn, and Wawota

  • Motor Speedway events features stock, modified and super modified races and a mini sprint program throughout the summer months on a 3/8 mile high banked oval dirt track.

  • Geocaching, a form of using Global Positioning System (GPS) to search for small treasures hidden in locations around the world.

  • Moose Mountain Provincial Park – home to Kenosee Lake with cabins, camping facilities, golfing, water slides and numerous other activities for all to enjoy.

  • The Paperclip Cottage in Kipling, Saskatchewan – A testament to what one red paper clip, a little ingenuity and a lot of perseverance can get a community. Starting with a paperclip Kyle Macdonald made 15 trades, always improving over the previous trade until he traded for a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan. On its fifth anniversary the house was converted to a restaurant.

  • Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site – A unique, scenic area of stratified rock formations eroded and sculpted by wind and the elements over time.

The Growth of Tourism through Emerging Opportunities

There are many untapped tourism opportunities in southeast Saskatchewan, including increasing capacity for larger scale regional events, cultural festivals.

Tourism is a major economic generator to many small communities in the southeast. The tourist season is especially busy from May through to September. Small businesses, boutiques, tea and craft shops, and local attractions and events are built around the tourism opportunities that exist. There are also many new opportunities available to fill gaps in the market as this industry sector grows.

Support Services, Associations & Organizations

  • Saskatchewan Tourism Education Council (STEC) is an organization committed to the provision of education and training that supports professional growth and human resource development in Saskatchewan’s tourism sector.

  • Tourism Saskatchewan is a market-driven, industry-led partnership responsible for developing and promoting tourism in Saskatchewan.