This report contains a review of and outlook for tourism activity in Saskatchewan, assessing the impact on tourism of COVID-19 and the public health restrictions. It examines domestic, U.S., and overseas activity.
Document Highlights
- Saskatchewan’s tourism operators, already dependent to a significant degree on intraprovincial travel, pivoted even more toward domestic markets in 2020. We do not foresee a full recovery in international visits to the province by the end of the forecast period.
- We expect overnight visits to Saskatchewan in 2021 to reach about 88 per cent of their 2019 level—well above the 79 per cent projected for the entire country. Many tourist activities in the province take place outdoors and allow for easier social distancing, which bodes well for the tourism sector.
- Air capacity will take time to rebuild once travel picks up again. Saskatchewan already suffers from low direct air connectivity compared with more densely populated areas of the country, which may limit its potential for attracting tourists over the long term.
- Pandemic-related restrictions led to the cancellation or postponement of many large events throughout 2020. The cancellation of the 2020 Grey Cup in Regina was a major lost opportunity for the city’s economy.
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