Lesson 13: Facilities & Services
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Unit 3
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Lesson 13: Facilities & Services
"Do what you do well so that they will see it again and bring their friends." ~ Walt Disney
Tourism in Alberta started in 1885, focussing on the large area of scenic wilderness of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Today, tourism is one of the province's leading sectors, employing over 127 000 Albertans and generating over $8 billion in annual expenditures. Facilities and services? Oh yeah, there are plenty of those across each of tourism industry.
Click on the + sign below to gain more information about the Alberta facilities and services within these tourism industries.
Accommodations allow at least one night's stay and are available to the general public on a consistent or seasonal basis. Alberta is fortunate enough to have a wide variety of accommodation types available. You might want to leaf through the Travel Alberta's Official Accommodation Guide containing information on more than 600 hotels throughout the province.
Select one of the coloured tabs below to find out more about the 8 Alberta accommodation classifications.
A self-contained accommodation situated in a secluded location, only accessible by trails or air, and varying from rustic to more comfortable in nature.
An establishment situated on private property or in a small residential building. It offers a small number of guest rooms with breakfast provided.
A facility offering overnight stays for RVs, tents, or other alternative accommodations such as tipis and yurts, along with a range of support services.
Farm Stays are in a rural setting and offer the opportunity to observe or become involved in farm-focused activities. These establishments provide western ambiance, cuisine, atmosphere, and activities.
A facility with a focus on budget travellers and backpackers. These accommodations typically have dormitory-style rooms and shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas.
An establishment providing accommodations, meals, and other services for travellers and tourists. Motels are lodging establishments where rooms may be accessible from the exterior or interior, with limited food service options; inns are accommodations larger than a bed and breakfast, yet offering more personalized service than a hotel. Meal service is often limited to a breakfast and an evening meal.
A self-contained accommodation situated in a secluded or semi-secluded location that is available for rent on a frequent basis.
A resident's secondary home, used for recreation purposes, that they rent out to travellers.
Select one of the coloured tabs below to find out more about the 8 Alberta accommodation classifications.
Backcountry Hut
A self-contained accommodation situated in a secluded location, only accessible by trails or air, and varying from rustic to more comfortable in nature.
Bed & Breakfast
An establishment situated on private property or in a small residential building. It offers a small number of guest rooms with breakfast provided.
Campground & RV Park
A facility offering overnight stays for RVs, tents, or other alternative accommodations such as tipis and yurts, along with a range of support services.
Farm Stay
Farm Stays are in a rural setting and offer the opportunity to observe or become involved in farm-focused activities. These establishments provide western ambiance, cuisine, atmosphere, and activities.
Hostel
A facility with a focus on budget travellers and backpackers. These accommodations typically have dormitory-style rooms and shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas.
Hotel, Motel & Inn
An establishment providing accommodations, meals, and other services for travellers and tourists. Motels are lodging establishments where rooms may be accessible from the exterior or interior, with limited food service options; inns are accommodations larger than a bed and breakfast, yet offering more personalized service than a hotel. Meal service is often limited to a breakfast and an evening meal.
Lodge & Cabin
A self-contained accommodation situated in a secluded or semi-secluded location that is available for rent on a frequent basis.
Vacation Home
A resident's secondary home, used for recreation purposes, that they rent out to travellers.
Tell me you haven't heard the slogan about trying Alberta beef. Supporting local food is a big deal so visitors can find beef on menus across the province. Adult guests can pair their meat with an Alberta-brewed beer or cocktails that began their lives as local grains.
Restaurants Canada, an industry trade group representing commercial food service businesses, reports that restaurants average 18 million visits per day. In 2015, food services and drinking places accounted for 1.5% of Canada's gross domestic product, growing faster than the Canadian economy as a whole from 2011-2015. On the consumption side, food and beverage services accounted for 5.9% of household expenditures in Canada in 2015, showing little change from year to year.
Restaurants Canada, an industry trade group representing commercial food service businesses, reports that restaurants average 18 million visits per day. In 2015, food services and drinking places accounted for 1.5% of Canada's gross domestic product, growing faster than the Canadian economy as a whole from 2011-2015. On the consumption side, food and beverage services accounted for 5.9% of household expenditures in Canada in 2015, showing little change from year to year.
The number of employees in the food & beverage industry rose 3.1% in 2015 to an average of one million people and accounted for 6.6% of all employees in Canada according to the Survey of Employment, Payroll, and Hours. These employees, however, are earning less money than employees in any other tourism industry, averaging $344 per week or just over 1/3 the national average. One reason might be the reliance on part-time workers. According to the Labour Force Survey, 44.8% of employment in this industry was considered part-time in 2015 and 44.4% of all employees in the industry earned less than $12 per hour.
Full-service restaurants are dining places where customers order and are served when seated and pay after eating. They may be licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. Limited-service eating places, also known as quick-service restaurants are places where patrons make their orders at a counter or line up and pay for the meal before eating. Special food services include three separate industries: food service contractors, caterers, and mobile food services (food trucks and carts). Drinking places, or bars and taverns, are primarily engaged in serving alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. They may also serve food, though it is not their primary source of revenue.
Alberta has a rich diversity of things to do in the Recreation and Entertainment Industry. I've lived the majority of my life in Alberta and sometimes we take for granted the diversity and opportunities in this wonderful province. But whether tourists are looking for summer or winter outdoor activities, attractions, festivals, cultural, heritage, the arts, wildlife, shopping, or relaxation, there is literally something for everyone.
I found particular interest and inspiration using these two links:
I found particular interest and inspiration using these two links:
Alberta transportation businesses and organizations provide travel services in the following categories.
Airport: Designated location for scheduled air service from domestic and international markets. Alberta is serviced by three international airports in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Calgary.
Transfer & Shuttle: Scheduled service designed to transport passengers to and from an airport or other location.
Airport: Designated location for scheduled air service from domestic and international markets. Alberta is serviced by three international airports in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Calgary.
Transfer & Shuttle: Scheduled service designed to transport passengers to and from an airport or other location.
Rail: Alberta has scheduled Via Rail service providing transport for people from Edmonton to Jasper or aboard the luxury Canadian Rockies Adventure train. They strive to have the journey be as remarkable as the final destination.
Bus: Alberta has transit bus services within major cities and motor coaches between towns to provide customers with transportation. Charter buses are often contracted by tourism companies to offer customized tour transportation leaving the stress of driving to someone else. Major carriers include Red Arrow, Diversified, ebus, Brewster, Magicbus, and Greyhound.
Bus: Alberta has transit bus services within major cities and motor coaches between towns to provide customers with transportation. Charter buses are often contracted by tourism companies to offer customized tour transportation leaving the stress of driving to someone else. Major carriers include Red Arrow, Diversified, ebus, Brewster, Magicbus, and Greyhound.
Travel assistance (sometimes referred to as travel insurance) is a term in use throughout much of the world which refers to a service which provides help, primarily during emergencies when travelling.
Travel Alberta is responsible for maintaining visitor information centres throughout the province. This interactive map is a valuable resource with centre locations and a few helpful facts.
With the overwhelming amount of travel information, it's nice to have a great resource like the Official Alberta Travel Planner to help navigate. With sections like Places to Go, Things to Do, and even Plan Your Trip, everything a traveller needs to know to plan a perfect Alberta vacation is covered.
Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) is a professional designation endorsed by Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council and recognized as a valuable career achievement. At last count, there are 204 CTC professionals in Alberta according to the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council with a variety of expertise.
Types of travel assistance programs include:
- Retail: in partnership with insurance companies
- Credit cards: may offer travel assistance
- Travel industry programs: ticket agencies and tour operating companies may offer add-on insurance
- Corporate: large-scale employers sometimes work directly with assistance companies to have their own customized plans
Travel Alberta is responsible for maintaining visitor information centres throughout the province. This interactive map is a valuable resource with centre locations and a few helpful facts.
With the overwhelming amount of travel information, it's nice to have a great resource like the Official Alberta Travel Planner to help navigate. With sections like Places to Go, Things to Do, and even Plan Your Trip, everything a traveller needs to know to plan a perfect Alberta vacation is covered.
Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) is a professional designation endorsed by Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council and recognized as a valuable career achievement. At last count, there are 204 CTC professionals in Alberta according to the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council with a variety of expertise.