CANAMEX Smart Tourist Corridor Project CANAMEX Corridor

What is CANAMEX? 2 Next Steps 1 16 The CANAMEX Corridor Coalition and its partner The CANAMEX Corridor is the gateway to the for mil- 4 1 agencies, Transportation and Tourism, have oppor- lions of Canadian and Mexican visitors. It transports these interna- Seattle Sweetgrass tunities to advance development of the Smart Tourist tional tourists - plus millions more domestic ones - directly to some Coeur d'Alene 90 15 Corridor. These include: of the most popular destinations in the western United States: the Portland Great Falls • Advocate and obtain a federal multi-year earmark Helena Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Phoenix, and . Butte 94 for funding 5 84 Passing from border to border through fi ve states, the Corridor 90 • Defi ne a tourism brand for the Corridor allows commercial freight to move quickly and easily through the Boise • Create a prototype for Gateway Website Falls region. • Engage both and in the develop- Pocatello 90 The CANAMEX Coalition is a collaborative planning effort of 25 ment of the Smart Tourist Corridor 15 the fi ve states of , , , Idaho, and . The 5 • Map wireless coverage throughout the Corridor 80 80 Cheyenne • Identify standards and architecture for data gather- advent of the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA), which cre- Reno Salt Lake City 80 Denver ing and information sharing networks, including link- ated a set of preferential economic relationships among , San Francisco age among the fi ve states’ 511 systems the United States, and Mexico, underscored the importance of 70 • Develop incident management plans within each strengthening north-south economic, transportation, and tele- St. George 25 70 state and formalize multi-state agreements to coor- communications linkages. Because of this importance, the U.S. Las Vegas dinate operations at state borders Barstow 15 Kingman Congress defi ned CANAMEX as a priority Corridor in the National Flagstaff Los Angeles 10 Albuquerque Highway System, and specifi ed the route. 93 10 Recognizing the shared opportunities presented by develop- Phoenix ing and promoting travel along the region’s principal north-south 8 10 Tucson 10 Future CANAMEX Initiatives: transportation Corridor, the Governors of the fi ve states formed US State Boundaries 19 El Paso 20 an alliance to pursue common goals for the future. The Governors Canada/Mexico Boundaries Nogales Smart Freight Corridor Corridor Boundaries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a working 15 10 CANAMEX Trade Corridor 45 The original CANAMEX Corridor plan proposed four bold initiatives, the Smart Freight Corridor Initiative include information that can speed committee and to prepare a CANAMEX Corridor Plan. State Highways Interstates & Major Highways the Smart Freight Corridor, Smart Tourist Corridor, Rural Telecom- up incident response to hazardous material spills, and using advanced munications Access and Smart Process Partnerships. The Smart technology to provide motor carriers with up-to-date information on Freight and Smart Tourist Corridor are very similar in their focus on road conditions, rest stops, and agriculture inspection requirements The Smart Tourist Corridor Initiative: the safety, security and effi ciency of commerce and the motoring Many of the infrastructure and information upgrades that will public. They both require close coordination by the fi ve state depart- be made to deploy the Smart Tourist Corridor will also facilitate the Promoting Safe and Easy Travel for Everyone ments of transportation and their partners in Alberta and Mexico. eventual development of the Freight Corridor. As implementation of They both require strategic investments to keep pace with growth the Smart Tourist Corridor gets underway, focus will be given to those In 2001, the CANAMEX Corridor Coalition (CCC) completed the CANAMEX Partners: demands and technology advances in transportation and telecommu- efforts that enhance the effi ciency and provide benefi t to the freight CANAMEX Corridor Plan, which is designed to guide strategic Tourism and Transportation Agencies Working Together nications infrastructure. The additional elements to be integrated by industry as well. transportation, telecommunications, and other infrastructure to Help the Region investment for the entire region. One of the action items in the For More Information Plan calls for the creation of a “Smart Tourist Corridor.” The West- Tourism and transportation are inextricably linked. For ern Transportation Institute at Montana State University - Boze- tourism to thrive, travelers must be able to move safely Contact the CANAMEX Corridor Project Offi ce located at 1801 W. Please note that the full text of the 2001 CANAMEX Corridor Plan man conducted the research and developed the framework for the Jefferson, MD 509M, Phoenix, AZ 85007 tel: 602-712-4113 or and the 2004 Smart Tourist Corridor Plan, as well as information and easily. Public agencies Smart Tourist Corridor Initiative. 602-712-7433. E-mail: [email protected] on the fi ve-state Coalition, its international partners and activities in depend on tax revenues gen- Tourism each of the other states are available on the CANAMEX website: erated by a healthy economy www.CANAMEX.org (fueled in part by tourism) The two primary goals of the to build and maintain roads, provide law enforcement and Smart Tourist Corridor Initiative are: CANAMEX emergency services, and $ manage recreational facilities Smart Tourist Corridor Project on public lands. Tra n • To increase tourism spending and length of stays nsportatio by enhancing the tourist experience CANAMEX is bringing tourism The Corridor can support tourism development through entities and transportation agencies together in new public/private partnerships. By extending visits “one ways to promote economic development. Some of the more day” in cities and towns along the route, the Smart diverse entities who have participated in Coalition activi- Tourist Corridor can signifi cantly enhance local econo- ties include: state transportation departments, local mies, particularly in rural areas chambers of commerce, convention and visitor bureaus, and Native American tribes in all fi ve CANAMEX states.

• To establish CANAMEX as the safest, most secure and most effi cient Corridor for travelers within and through the region. The personal safety of travelers is the highest priority of the CANAMEX states, and is supported by the Fed- eral Highway Administration. Security has increased in importance for all stakeholders in the post 9/11 environ- ment. Effi ciency of the transportation system is essential for the region’s continued economic competitiveness. To meet these goals, the Smart Tourist Corridor Initiative uses technology to disseminate detailed and real-time tourism, recreation, road, and safety informa- tion to travelers throughout the region. Prepared by the Western Transportation Institute at MSU Bozeman in cooperation with the CANAMEX coalition partners. Tourism in the Five-State Region: Smart Tourist Corridor Initiatives Current Trends and Future Outlook Data collected from the outreach process confi rmed that the number one need of travelers is information: what are the traffi c and weather conditions on the road, and what can we do and where can we stay along the way? The Smart Tourist Corridor uses a combination of emerg- In terms of population, the ing technologies and interstate/interagency coordination to provide seamless safety and tourism information to Corridor travelers. CANAMEX Corridor passes MT through the fastest growing 9,600,000 These are organized into four integrated initiatives: region in the country, and $139/day includes four of the fi ve fast- • The CANAMEX Gateway: Multi-portal website initiative will create a est growing states. Travel in ID safety and tourism data gathering/sharing system that will form the the Corridor has increased 21,700,000 heart of the Smart Tourist Corridor concept. This initiative will make 130 percent since 1970. $180/day it possible for all participating agencies to receive relevant, real-time The Corridor includes some information and alerts, and will allow for the creation of the CANA- of the most visited venues in MEX Gateway website, which will provide Corridor-wide information America, including Las Vegas, NV to travelers. the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone 47,900,000 • The CANAMEX Communications initiative will consist of techno- National Park, and Hoover $134/day UT logical improvements that facilitate the dissemination of tourism and Dam. While large portions of 17,300,000 safety information to travelers, such as completing cellular coverage the Corridor are in rural areas, $101/day in the Corridor. it also passes directly through • Smart Devices Development consists of public-private partnerships the urban areas of Salt Lake that expand the ability of tourists and other travelers to use smart City, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. devices such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and in- Tourism is a major vehicle navigation units throughout the Corridor. economic driver in each of the AZ • Safety, Security and Operations Improvements are a broad range of CANAMEX states. The number 29,700,000 activities that will foster better coordination and cooperation among of visitors to the region, and the money they spend (see map on right ), $108/day emergency response agencies throughout the Corridor, as well as impacts local and state economies along the length of the Corridor. increased safety and improved emergency response.

Fundamental industry trends support the likelihood of increasing tourists in the CANAMEX region: Costs and Benefi ts

• Rapid growth in leisure travel, spurred by “baby boomers” Full implementation of the CANAMEX Smart Tourist Corridor requires of the costs (an estimated $68million) falls within the responsibilities reaching retirement age Annual number of visitors (domestic & international) and aver- an estimated $71 million investment over 10 years for equipment, of the state departments of transportation. The CCC is pursuing a • Increased popularity of driving vacations and domestic travel, age daily expenditures by non resident visitors (US $) by state development of the Gateway data warehouse and website, techno- variety of existing federal funding opportunities to secure implemen- in place of vacations overseas logical infrastructure upgrades, operations, and maintenance. Most tation resources to the states. • Growing use of technology to plan and guide travel, including Numbers indicated are estimates based on the most recent data The Smart Tourist Corridor Initiative will yield signifi cant ben- made available from each state. Daily expenditure amounts do the Internet, in-vehicle navigation systems, cellular phones efi ts to each of the CANAMEX states individually as well asthe not include gaming expenditures. and personal handheld devices region as a whole, through increased tourism spending, enhanced • Increased interest in all forms of nature-based experiences visitor experience, increased safety and improved mobility for from extreme wilderness adventures to RV travel and travelers, and ultimately jobs. Estimates indicate cost savings of nature viewing. almost $66 million from reduced accident and weather delays, and increased tourism revenues of more than $400 million dollars for the CANAMEX states over the next ten years. The estimated Outreach to Stakeholders: Identifying Needs benefi t to the tourism industry is based on conservative assump- To determine what types of information travelers want and need to tions that consider average daily expenditures of nonresident visi- enhance their experience and lengthen their stay in the area, outreach tors in each state. The formula assumes that just 1% of tourists to CANAMEX Partners was conducted through interviews, meetings, and will spend “one more day” in the region as a result of the Smart surveys. Tourist Corridor initiatives, an assumption validated in the 2001 The Western Transportation Institute help more than 70 inter- Corridor Plan. views with public and private sector agencies in all fi ve states, including federal, state, and local agencies; Native American tribal organizations; and private tourism and communications enterprises. The information derived from these interviews was used to identify the highest priority Partnerships with Canada and Mexico needs and develop advanced technology concepts for an integrated travel and tourism information system to address them. Because a high priority The CANAMEX Corridor was conceived of as a three-nation Corridor of a unifi ed CANAMEX brand. The U.S. states recognize the impor- is placed on the participation and input of the partner agencies, meetings stretching from Canada through America to Mexico. The United tance and value of their international partners. The CCC places a and workshops were held to allow partners to review, refi ne and prioritize States CANAMEX Corridor Coalition coordinates with representa- high priority on continuing and expanding the role of Canada and the preliminary concepts. tives in Alberta, Canada and the states of , Sinaloa, Nayarit, Mexico throughout implementation of the CANAMEX Plan. and Jalisco in Mexico to identify opportunities for collaboration. The Promote Province of Alberta has been working on CANAMEX for more than Tourism ten years. They share many of the same challenges as the U.S. Provide for states, including similar regulatory and funding issues and highway Public/Private Profi le Users, constraints. The Province of Alberta has already set aside $1.4 bil- lion (Canadian dollars) to expand Highway 4 from two to four lanes Partnership Needs and Services by 2007. Opportunities In 2000, the U.S. states invited Mexico to form a parallel Inter-relationships organization to work with the CCC on shared initiatives. Mexican offi cials are in the early stages of developing a CANAMEX Coalition. Manage Currently, the Mexican federal government has plans to upgrade Highway 15 from two lanes to four lanes from Tepic to Mazatlan. Performance of Preserve Culture This represents the fi nal stretch of two-lane highway between the Transportation and History U.S. border and . In general, trilateral support among Systems and Protect the three countries is crucial to making CANAMEX a success. Facilities The Smart Tourist Corridor represents a unique opportunity Natural Resources to secure tri-national participation in the marketing and promotion bon voyage god tur bon reis gutes reisen buen viaje buon viaggio desengate bom