Tourism Saskatoon
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TOURISM SASKATOON www.tourismsaskatoon.com CBJ TOURISM SASKATOON Local Treasures Spawning Global Attractions Five Ways to Attract Repeat Diners to Your Restaurant TOURISM TOURISM SASKATOON Local Treasures Spawning Global Attractions 4 TOURISM » TOURISM SASKATOON Remai Modern ith each passing day the spearheading an event-based tourism economy Wburgeoning City of Saskatoon with numerous business meetings, conventions generates further attention as a and one-off cultural extravaganzas such as the multi-faceted community that Juno Awards along with such sporting events as makes it not only an outstanding the World Junior Hockey Championships and place to raise a family but also for international curling competitions. The Saskatoon visitors from across the globe to Blades of the Western Hockey League and the experience as a vibrant, exciting Saskatoon Rush of the National Lacrosse League tourist destination with its numerous provide ongoing sports entertainment. Building attractions and events. from that sturdy base, the city has begun to make a name for itself as a diverse destination that is SASKATOON’S METROPOLITAN AREA, now at entirely capable of competing with the best on 311,000 people and growing, has an effervescent the world’s stage on many different platforms. history of being exceedingly proactive in terms of The Canadian Business Journal recently 5 APRIL 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal 2016 NLL Champions spoke with Todd Brandt, President and CEO at “As an ongoing major gallery it has a Tourism Saskatoon about the city’s continued wonderful $20 million collection of Picasso tourism development, which is an integral aspect Linocuts, which was a particular technique that of the municipality’s overall economic prosperity. Picasso became famous for using,” explains “We really took a major step forward with the Brandt. “Many people associate some of his best opening of the Remai Modern last fall, which is work with Linocuts.” a major modern art museum now on the world Linocut is a printmaking technique first used stage,” begins Brandt. in Germany in the early 1900s and is a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum is used for The magnificent art gallery attraction a relief surface. Most of Picasso’s acclaimed work represents a $100 million development that in this area occurred between the years 1958 has created a critical mass of attraction-based and 1963. A donation by a local philanthropist tourism opportunities for Saskatoon that was essentially purchased the entire collection that never present before. exists in the world – about 416 pieces in total. 6 TOURISM » TOURISM SASKATOON There has been a tremendous outpouring of with more visitors coming to the city each year media attention surrounding its opening as of and several new hotels and restaurants having last October and the New York Times has named recently opened their doors for business. Saskatoon as one of the 52 destinations to visit “For the last eight years we’ve had about a in 2018, riding to a large extent on the popularity 6.8% growth in hotel rooms to meet demand,” and opportunity of the Remai Modern. While says Brandt. “We’re in that 2.8 million people the gallery had been expected to be extremely annual visit range with business travelers and popular upon opening, the first six months families coming on vacations.” provided an even more impressive visitor count Business travelers represent a smaller total than had been anticipated. proportion of visitors but the overall revenue expectations associated with those travelers Tourism and the Economy attending conventions is certainly higher. Brandt The latest figures from Statistics Canada reveal says the city has had excellent success over the that tourism-related jobs in Saskatoon now total past few years in securing both national and beyond 15,400, which impressively accounts international conventions, conferences and for about 9% of the entire city’s workforce. symposiums. That figure will no doubt continue to ascend “We do a national benchmarking with other 7 APRIL 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal South Saskatchewan River and Downtown 8 TOURISM » TOURISM SASKATOON direct marketing organizations (DMOs) across Northern Plains indigenous peoples. Wanuskewin Canada and we’re performing well above average is a living reminder of the peoples’ sacred in generating business for Saskatoon, which is relationship with the land. a very positive trend and we’re just building on that,” he remarks. Business Initiatives A major historical tourist attraction is The city has engaged in a number of innovative Wanuskewin Heritage Park, a National Historic initiatives such as Green Stem, which is the Site of Canada opened in 1992, representing tourism’s response to appropriate demands by nearly 6,000 years of First Nations history and the consumers on ensuring that the industry touches Meewasin Valley Authority, a conservation agency as lightly as possible regarding their footprint dedicated to conserving the cultural and natural on the Earth and promoting environmental resources of the South Saskatchewan River Valley. consciousness. Meewasin is the Cree word for ‘beautiful’. “We look at sustainable tourism activities Wanuskewin Heritage Park is seeking to and Green Stem is a program that we designed achieve UNESCO World Heritage status, and has a to allow small and medium businesses to sign fundamental goal of advancing the understanding up and do their own audit of their sustainability and appreciation of the evolving cultures of the practices,” says Brandt. “It’s a sharing tool as 9 APRIL 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal Wanuskewin 10 TOURISM » TOURISM SASKATOON well to help the entire industry push sustainable “We are still the only accredited DMO in practices.” Saskatchewan and I believe there about 13 across The Green Stem site houses a library of Canada,” says Brandt. resources for tourism businesses looking to Certification and recertification is an auditing incorporate environmental initiatives into their process with 92 areas of investigation and is valid workplaces. Incorporating responsible and for four years. It’s not enough for a municipality to sustainable practices resonates with people on simply say ‘yes we do this’ but rather there must a global scale and it’s important to always be at be proof. All aspects of governance structure, the leading edge of the curve in that regard as a programming, sophistication and the level of staff means of promoting tourism activities. training each play important factors. It’s meant to In 2016, Tourism Saskatoon was one of only a be a stamp of quality assurance. handful of internationally accredited destination “As a DMO people can trust us to be an marketing organizations here in Canada. It’s that intermediary between their wishes and ambitions type of commitment to excellence that helps and what our industry delivers here. We take it separate Saskatoon from the vast majority of very seriously. It’s not a simple accreditation but other cities not only in Canada but around the we’re happy to do it,” says Brandt. world. In addition to his many other duties at 11 APRIL 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal River Landing Tourism Saskatoon, Brandt has also been the Canada. The country is posting great numbers corporate liaison with the Saskatoon Hotels and even though we’ve had weaker western Association in the city of Saskatoon and the economy for the past few years we’re climbing Tourism Industry Association of Canada. out of that and have to take advantage. Tourism “We’re much more involved with Destination needs to play a significant part of the economic Canada now than we ever have been. I think it’s recovery just like all the other business groups,” because of our international media work and our says Brandt. work on the convention side,” he says. Tourism Saskatoon also makes excellent use There is also a very successful cooperative of the University of Saskatchewan as a resource program with Tourism Saskatchewan on the to help lead the charge in attracting national advocacy front. Last year there were 24 different and international conferences for Saskatoon. advocacy campaigns to which Tourism Saskatoon Brandt and his team regularly interact with senior participated on behalf of its 460 business researchers and directors at the school to develop members. strategies on ushering business into the city. “We’ve seen a government that’s responded “Our biggest interaction with the university very aggressively to investing more into tourism is a source of what we term our local leaders,” and tourism marketing through Destination says Brandt. “Whenever we have an opportunity 12 TOURISM » TOURISM SASKATOON Nuit Blanche 2015 to look at a national or international congress Keeping Young People Inspired many, many times there’s a leadership within those It bodes well for Saskatoon in having the various associations that are employed on campus; second-youngest population base of any mid- to every diversified discipline has people that sit on large-sized city in the country. Such a youthful boards who are influencers.” presence reflects in the tone and character of The university benefits because they’re the type of entertainment and the overall mix of receiving that high-level exchange of ideas and activities that Saskatoon has to offer, including concepts in hosting a significant event and Tourism everything from paddle-boarding on the river to Saskatoon benefits from the direct economic live music and theatre. impact. The third beneficiary is the Province of “We want to create a destination that excites Saskatchewan because oftentimes major investors them and retains them. We did a two-year will attend these same congresses, so it proves to program with Destination Canada and Tourism be a winning three-way partnership. Saskatchewan to promote our activities to 13 APRIL 2018 « The Canadian Business Journal years,” says Brandt. The International Basketball Federation was thrilled with both the volunteer effort and what the city was able to accomplish in hosting their first-ever showcase.