Tourists flock to Medicine Hat CARRIE KELLY
2016 could well be the Year of the Tourist in Medicine Hat.
A low exchange rate for the Canadian dollar is predicted to bring in more visitors from the United States and cause Albertans to stick closer to home for their summer vacation. With great restaurants, beautiful coulees, an historic downtown, entertaining festivals, a vibrant Stampede, more than 100 kilometres of walking trails and in excess of 330 days of sunshine, why wouldn't Medicine Hat be a great draw?
"There's no doubt in my mind that we'll see an increase in American visitors in 2016," said Jace Anderson, executive director of Tourism Medicine Hat.
Last year, visitors from 38 U.S. states checked in at the Tourism Information Centre and interestingly, the majority of the
visitors were not from the adjacent state.
"Montana was actually the sixth highest," Anderson said. The highest number of U.S. visitors who stopped in were from Minnesota, followed by Wisconsin and California.
The Tourism Centre is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the summer months and sees traffic all day long. During the peak tourist season — July and August — the Visitor Centre assists an average of 150 visitors daily.
With Medicine Hat's location on the TransCanada Highway, it means that even if it isn't the final destination for travellers, they often stop in. For example, it's one of the gateways for those from Texas on a road trip to Alaska.
Tourism Medicine Hat is working hard to get the word out about where Medicine Hat
HON ROBERT WANNER, MLA Medicine Hat Constituency
In one word, Medicine Hat is sunshine.
We are a warm, vibrant, feel-good city, with the attitude and natural backdrop to match. We honour our city’s heritage while fostering progress, innovation and entrepreneurship. We are a dynamic bright spot, with an emerging and growing creative culture. And our quality of life truly does shine.
Medicine Hat residents are friendly, welcoming and kind. Many of us have come from across the country and around the world to make this city our home – and we embrace others who want to do the same. We welcome visitors, host events and showcase our city with pride. We open our wallets and our hearts to those in need. We are resilient in our neighbourhoods and across our community.
Our community is safe, comfortable, affordable and where family and friends gather to celebrate their lives. Opportunity abounds, in business and in pleasure, without the commutes, crowds and big-city hassles. We experience life up close and personal. Medicine Hat is a soft landing and a springboard, a retreat and a hive of activity – and always a place to savour life.
Offi ce: 68
537 4 Street SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 0K7 Telephone: 403-527-5622 Fax: 403-527-5112 Email:
medicine.hat@assembly.ab.ca
There are many reasons for visitors to have a great experience in Medicine Hat and mountain biking is among them. Tourism Medicine Hat Staff and the local 670 Collective mountain bike club attended the Calgary Outdoor Expo to promote the Hat’s unique geography to those who love the outdoors.
Photo courtesy Tourism Medicine Hat.
is and what business and leisure travellers can expect once they get here. It regularly provides support to other organizations, such as actively promoting the Tongue on the Post Festival in key markets.
Tourism staff has also just returned from the Calgary Outdoor Expo, where they promoted Medicine Hat along with representatives from the 670 Collective Mountain Bike Club.
"The mountain biking culture here is growing and we have unique geography so we took that first hand experience with us," Anderson said.
He wants Medicine Hat to be in the mix when people from other parts of the province and Saskatchewan are making vacation plans, no matter what the season.
Travel Alberta has 10 visitor information centres at key entry points to the province,
including Walsh and Milk River, and Tourism Medicine Hat staff are attending the spring conference to ensure travel counsellors at the centres are informed about the Gas City and its amenities.
The city is being branded with the slogan 'Sunshine State of Mind', which was developed after engaging with stakeholders and the public.
"In a word, Medicine Hat is sunshine. We are a warm, vibrant, feel good city, with the attitude and natural backdrop to match," said Mayor Ted Clugston in a video promoting the Medicine Hat story. "We are a dynamic bright spot, with an emerging, growing, creative culture."
A new logo was designed and features Medicine Hat in a blue, flowing script to signify the dominance of the South Saskatchewan River on the city's
41243076•03/29/2016
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