After a successful pilot test, Destination Canada hopes to invigorate Alberta’s tourism sector with the 2024 Northern Sky Corridor.
The Northern Sky Corridor, announced in a Sept. 26 news release, is one of three corridor programs across Canada created as part of Destination Canada’s Tourism Corridor Strategy Program, which aims to boost tourism across the nation through what they call “accelerated destination development” in each corridor. The Northern Sky Corridor will connect Canadians from Edmonton to the Northwest Territories to Indigenous cultures and experiences across the region, linking art, history, the area’s natural beauty, and Indigenous tourism.
“The corridor program will invigorate the tourism landscape of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, enticing visitors to discover the area’s diverse regions and contributing to a more dynamic and competitive tourism industry,” Destination Canada said in the release.
“Edmonton has always had a special connection to the Northwest Territories, and we are delighted to work with Northwest Territories Tourism, Destination Canada and partners throughout the region to build the Northern Sky Corridor,” said Paul Hawes, vice-president of destination development and marketing at Explore Edmonton, in the release. “The corridor is rich with Indigenous culture and heritage, natural beauty and expansive opportunities to provide international and domestic travellers with unique, meaningful travel experiences.”
Destination Canada says the Northern Sky Corridor is promised to grow to be worth $166.9 million over the next five years. They say that nearly 70 per cent of foreign visitors to Canada “are very interested in experiencing an Indigenous cultural experience or tourism activity in Canada” according to their 2023 Global Traveller Research Program. “Edmonton is known as the Gateway to the North,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi in the release. “This project builds on our city’s deep connections to Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and celebrates the vibrant culture, deep history, and expansive natural beauty of our region.”