Not only were the homes and businesses of the popular tourist town of Jasper devastated by last week’s wildfire, but it is also taking its toll on the tourism industry throughout western Canada, even in regions unaffected by wildfires.
In a Reuters report, Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, said memories of last year's record wildfire season in western Canada and more recent headlines are causing tourists to reconsider visiting the region.
She said that news reports about wildfires and extreme climatic events are causing tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently."
Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association in British Columbia, told Reuters that her group's members are seeing those changes first-hand as most visitors to her part of the province are waiting until the last minute instead of booking in advance, even though the region has not been directly affected by any major wildfires.
"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," she said.
In a Global News report, Mandy Nordahn, owner of Mearas Vista Inn in Tofino, B.C., said wildfires on Vancouver Island prompted all of her bookings to be cancelled last month, even though the town was not directly affected by the fires. Now the reports about Jasper are causing a new wave of cancellations, even though the town is in another province.
“I already have people calling me saying they can’t come," she told Global.
Joss Penny, who heads the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association, told Reuters his group's members are seeing a drop in bookings this year, anywhere from five to 15% from the previous year.
"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," he said.
Even though wildfires are a natural event in Canada, scientists say that climate change is causing them to be more frequent and violent because of drier and hotter conditions.
“Climate change is an essential threat to Canadian tourism, to their reputation and that’s what we’re seeing,” said federal Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada earlier this year.
"The wildfires in Western Canada have not only posed a threat to the safety and well-being of residents but have also had a significant impact on the tourism industry in the region,” stated the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) in a press release.
“As a key player in the travel sector, CATO recognizes the importance of addressing climate change to ensure the long-term sustainability of our industry," they added.
