Get documents about "Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Document Sample
Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Final Report
November 3, 2006
Prepared by:
Bruce Schollie, MBA, CMC
President, Schollie Research & Consulting
Elan Buan, B.Comm
Research Analyst, Schollie Research & Consulting
4603 50th Street
Red Deer, AB T4N 1X1
Ph: (403) 346-9849
Fax: (403) 346-7263
E-mail: info@schollie.com
Website: www.schollie.com
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
A. Executive Summary
Objectives and Background
Sylvan Lake is one of Alberta’s most popular tourism destinations and the town is one of Canada’s fastest growing
municipalities. To help manage continued growth in the tourism sector, The Town of Sylvan Lake commissioned an
Economic Impact of Tourism Study to examine the economic role tourism plays, and the potential for further growth.
Study Methods
The study and research was completed by conducting the following activities:
§ A review of secondary data (existing studies, visitation trends, traffic counts, etc.).
§ A visitor intercept survey with 789 visitors over the summer months.
§ A review and inventory of tourism related assets and their capacity.
§ Interviews with tourism sector businesses, event organizers, and other tourism-related contacts.
The visitor intercept survey yielded detailed visitor spending estimates which when applied to annual visitation
statistics give an estimate of annual spending by visitors. The annual spending information was forwarded to Alberta
Finance to conduct an economic impact analysis.
Study Results
This study estimates that the number of person visits1 to Sylvan Lake is 906,744. According to the research findings
from the intercept survey:
§ 86.7% of visitors are day visitors, 11.5% are overnight visitors, and seasonal residents make
up 1.8% of person visits.
§ 89% of visitors are from Alberta. Central Albertans account for 33% of visitors, 22% are from
the Greater Edmonton area, and 18% are from Calgary and area.
§ 77% of visitors come to Sylvan Lake for pleasure/vacation.
§ The lake/beach and other water-related activities is the top attraction to the town (78% of
mentions).
§ Average visiting party size is 3.89.
§ 73% of parties are family units; 21% are a group of family/friends.
§ 85% of visitors are repeat visitors (have been to Sylvan Lake before).
§ The average overnight length of stay is 4.9 nights. Cabin/cottage rentals have a longer
average stay with 6.39 nights.
Regarding visitor spending patterns, it was found that:
§ Average spending per day visitor is $18.11. Overnight visitors spend an average of $130.22
per night and seasonal visitors spend an average of $50.58 per night.
§ The average day visitor party spends $71.18 per trip. Spending for food/beverages at
restaurants was the highest category ($30.40), followed by sports and recreation ($15.89).
§ Overnight visitors spend an average of $638.10 per trip. Visitors staying in campgrounds
spend an average $118 per night; visitors staying in hotels/motels spend an average $201
per night; and cabin renters spend an average of $259 per night.
§ Overnight visitors’ biggest spending category was accommodations ($221.33), followed by
food and beverage at retail stores ($122.32), and food and beverage at restaurants
($121.55).
1 A person visit is a person visiting the region for any length of time.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 1
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
§ The average seasonal resident spends $354.05 per week.
§ Total annual spending by all visitors is estimated to be just under $33.5 million. Overnight
visitors account for 46% of spending, followed closely by day trippers who account for 41%.
The remaining 13% is from seasonal residents.
Regarding the economic impact generated by tourism:
§ Visitor spending generates an economic impact of $48.4 million on an annual basis.
§ Visitor spending generates a total of $5.8 million in tax and royalty revenue at all government
levels.
§ Visitor spending creates $13.8 million annually in labour income and creates 425 person
years of employment (425 full-time equivalent jobs in one year). The majority of employment
is created in the accommodation and food services industry (188 person years).
Opportunity Identification Results
In each component of this study, respondents were asked about their thoughts on what tourism-related opportunities
may exist. Although opportunities should be followed by in-depth research and analysis to assess and quantify
potential opportunities, the following opportunities were identified:
§ Convention and Meeting Visitor Market.
§ Non-summer, multi-day special events.
§ Hotels/motels.
§ Campgrounds.
§ Family-oriented restaurants.
§ General branding (Sylvan Lake as more of a family resort destination).
Recommendations
To further the cause of developing the tourism sector, the following recommendations are offered:
§ Promote this study to the business community and entrepreneurs.
§ Improve readiness for tourism sector development by improving tracking, recording, and
publication of key tourism statistics. In addition, improving connections and cooperation
between stakeholders in the tourism sector may help to strengthen connections and
coordinate sector development.
§ Conduct additional planning and research. Create a long-term tourism development vision
and strategy.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 2
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Table of Contents
A. Executive Summary................................................................................................................................... 1
B. Introduction and Objectives...................................................................................................................... 5
C. Study Methods and Definitions ................................................................................................................ 6
D. Tourism Sector Assets.............................................................................................................................. 9
D.1 Sector Overview .................................................................................................................................... 9
D.2 Natural Features.................................................................................................................................. 10
D.3 Accommodations ................................................................................................................................. 10
D.4 Seasonal Residents............................................................................................................................. 11
D.5 Attractions and Other Tourist Related Amenities................................................................................. 12
D.6 Food Service Industry.......................................................................................................................... 13
D.7 Events.................................................................................................................................................. 13
E. The Visitor Markets .................................................................................................................................. 15
E.1 Visitation Estimates, Key Segments, and Growth................................................................................ 15
E.2 Visitor Profile........................................................................................................................................ 17
E.3 Visitor Services and Amenities Ratings ............................................................................................... 18
E.4 Visitor Spending Patterns .................................................................................................................... 19
E.5 Annual Visitor Spending Estimates...................................................................................................... 21
F. Economic Impact Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 22
F.1 Overview.............................................................................................................................................. 22
F.2 Economic Impact of Visitor Spending................................................................................................... 23
G. Sector Opportunities ............................................................................................................................... 24
H. Next Steps/ Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 26
Appendix A.1: Day Trip/ Overnight Visitor Survey Instrument................................................................. 27
Appendix A.2: Seasonal Resident Survey Instrument .............................................................................. 31
Appendix B: Study Contacts ....................................................................................................................... 34
Appendix C: Bibliography............................................................................................................................ 35
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 3
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Tables and Exhibits
Figure C1: Summary of Project Methods and Work Plan ...............................................................................6
Figure D1: Value of Total Building Permits for Sylvan Lake (Millions of dollars).............................................9
Figure D2: Inventory of Campgrounds/Sites in the Sylvan Lake Area ..........................................................10
Figure D3: Estimated Number of Seasonal Dwellings at Summer Villages Surrounding Sylvan Lake .........11
Figure D4: Summary of Key Attractions/Tourist Related Amenities in the Town of Sylvan Lake..................12
Figure D5: Summary of Major Events in the Town of Sylvan Lake...............................................................13
Figure E1: Estimate of Total Annual Visitors to the Sylvan Lake Area in 2006.............................................15
Figure E2: Intercept Survey Locations and Sample Sizes ............................................................................17
Figure E3: Visitor Profile...............................................................................................................................17
Figure E4: Satisfaction Ratings with Visit to Sylvan Lake .............................................................................18
Figure E5: Satisfaction with Visitor Amenities in Sylvan Lake ......................................................................18
Figure E6: Needed Improvements or Additions to Sylvan Lake Amenities...................................................19
Figure E7: Average Visitor Spending per Party per Trip (Per week for Seasonal Resident).........................19
Figure E8: Percent of Total Visitor Spending by Location.............................................................................20
Figure E9: Annual Visitor Spending Estimates .............................................................................................21
Figure F1: Summary of Economic Impact of Visitor Spending......................................................................23
Figure G1: Summary of Sector Opportunities...............................................................................................24
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 4
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
B. Introduction and Objectives
Sylvan Lake is recognized as one of Alberta’s most popular tourism destinations and the town is one of Canada’s fastest
growing municipalities. By all traditional measures such as building permit values, population growth, and industry
expansion, economic growth shows no sign of slowing down. Sylvan Lake is in the enviable position of having a vibrant
tourism sector in addition to Alberta’s traditional economic pillars: oil & gas, agricultural processing, manufacturing, and
primary agriculture production.
To help manage and facilitate continued growth in the tourism sector, the Town of Sylvan Lake commissioned this
Economic Impact of Tourism Study. The overall objective of this study is to examine the economic role that tourism plays,
and the potential for further growth. Specifically, the objectives of this study are to provide:
§ A strong understanding of the impact of tourism on the community both directly and indirectly.
§ The ability to determine the amount of employment created and sustained through tourism while
identifying further opportunities.
§ An improved knowledge of community assets and what amenities and attractions visitors seek.
§ The ability to provide investors with specific, timely, and relevant investment opportunities with
supporting business cases.
§ A database of accurate and current statistics for site selectors and improved ability to respond to
inquiries.
In May 2006, the study commenced and a steering committee was established to coordinate it. The steering
committee was comprised of:
§ Tiffany Cameron, Communications/ Economic Development Officer, Town of Sylvan Lake
§ Helen Dietz, Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Sylvan Lake
§ Frank Peck, Town Councilor, Town of Sylvan Lake
§ Dan Wilson, Project Manager, Medican
This report contains a summary of the study findings. In addition, the following components were also delivered as part of
this project:
§ A set of detailed tables outlining the visitor intercept survey.
§ A database containing the survey data for further analysis.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 5
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
C. Study Methods and Definitions
Methods for this study were chosen to achieve the primary objective of profiling and quantifying Sylvan Lake’s tourism
sector. Secondly, methods were chosen that would provide some preliminary direction on what investment
opportunities may exist for further development of the tourism sector. The following table outlines the general
methods used to collect the data for this study:
Figure C1: Summary of Project Methodology
Key Task Key Methods
Secondary Data/ Ÿ Reviewed existing studies, statistics and trends related to visitation of Sylvan Lake and scanned all
Environmental relevant secondary information related to the tourism sector. This included a review/ analysis of:
Scan o Visitation statistics and trends for Sylvan Lake and Alberta’s Provincial Parks.
o Visitation trends and statistics for Alberta destinations.
o Highway Traffic counts.
o Major business investments in Alberta, Central Alberta, and Sylvan Lake.
o Building permit statistics.
o Employment statistics by sector for Alberta, Central Alberta, and Sylvan Lake.
o Analysis of local attraction visitation statistics, and hotel occupancy rates.
Visitor Intercept Ÿ 789 visitors to Sylvan Lake were interviewed between June 27 and September 3, 2006. Interviews
Survey were conducted on the beach and park areas, Jarvis Bay Provincial Park Campground, Sylvan Lake
RV Park, the Farmers’ Market, the Sylvan Lake Arena, Wild Rapids Waterslide Park, Lions Park
(during the Jazz Festival), and the Sylvan Lake Visitor Centre.
Ÿ Visitors were randomly selected and were sampled on a mix of weekends, weekdays, long
weekends, and during special events to ensure representation from all visitor segments. Refusal
rates were very low (less than 5%). Interviewers were able to conduct between 3-5 interviews per
hour. Appendix A contains the survey instrument.
Tourism Sector Ÿ We reviewed key tourism assets to fully understand and describe the tourism sector capacity as well
Asset Inventory and as the business gaps and opportunities. The inventory was compiled using the following methods:
Capacity Review o Review of directories and websites.
o Interviewing tourism operators.
o Interviewing special events coordinators.
Ÿ The inventory examines the asset class in terms of a description, capacity, and the asset’s usage.
Survey of Tourism Ÿ Interviewed business owners, tourism stakeholders, special event coordinators, and/ or facility
Sector Businesses, managers via personal telephone interviews and some e-mail contacts.
Stakeholders, and Ÿ Interviews gathered information and perceptions on the tourism sector in more detail including
Special Event challenges, opportunities, and other information such as capacity and occupancy.
Organizers Ÿ Appendix B contains a list of people and organizations contacted.
The visitor intercept survey and the annual visitation estimates are the two key elements of the methodology that give
the required data for the economic impact analysis. The visitor intercept survey yielded detailed visitor spending
estimates which when applied to annual visitation statistics give an estimate of annual spending by visitors. The
annual spending information was forwarded to Alberta Finance to conduct the economic impact analysis. An
explanation of method and results of this analysis are contained in section F.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 6
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
The geographic scope for this study is the town of Sylvan Lake and the general area that surrounds Sylvan Lake. This
includes the Summer Villages, campgrounds, and other amenities in this region. The focus of the economic impact
measurement is on economic benefits that accrue to the town of Sylvan Lake as a result of visitation to the region. The
Sylvan Lake region or area includes the following:
§ Town of Sylvan Lake.
§ Summer Villages of Birchcliff, Jarvis Bay, Norglenwold, Sunbreaker Cove, Half Moon Bay.
§ Rural subdivisions surrounding Sylvan Lake.
§ Jarvis Bay Provincial Park and other campgrounds surrounding Sylvan Lake.
§ Golf courses in the area such as Sylvan Lake Golf & Country Club, Sylvan Southland,
Lakewood, and Top O’ the Hill.
§ Any areas within about a kilometer of the shores of Sylvan Lake in Lacombe County or Red
Deer County.
Central to research on tourism is the definition of a ‘visitor.’ While most studies define a visitor in terms of a specific
distance travelled (usually 80 km.), this definition would not work for this study as a significant economic impact arises
from visitors from within 80km of the town of Sylvan Lake. This study defined a Sylvan Lake visitor as someone who:
§ Is in the area on a temporary basis.
§ Has traveled from their usual place of residence for a purpose other than commuting to work
or school, or moving to a new residence.
§ Is visiting at any time during the year.
Other definitions that are important in this type of research include those that describe visitor behaviour:
§ Person day visit: A person visiting the region for all or part of one day. A family of 4 that
takes 2 ‘day trips’ to Sylvan Lake in the summer is 8 person day visits.
§ Overnight person visit: A person visiting the region that stays at least one night. A couple that
spends 7 nights in Sylvan Lake is 2 overnight person visits.
§ Visitor nights: The number of nights a single visitor stays. A family of 4 that spends 3 nights
is 12 visitor nights.
§ Traveling or Visitor Party: A group that is traveling together. This could be a family unit, a
group of friends, a few families, or some combination of these.
§ Occupied campsite night: One campsite occupied by a visiting party for one night. A 200 site
campground with 40 occupied sites in one night is 40 occupied campsite nights. A
campground with 80 sites may register 4,800 occupied campsite nights over a 100 day
camping season. The number of equivalent overnight person visits would be equal to 4,800
divided by the average length of stay multiplied by the average traveling party size.
§ Seasonal resident: Owns or rents a permanent dwelling or lot that the resident occupies for
all or part of the summer season (May long weekend to September long weekend). The
dwelling or lot is not generally occupied during the rest of the year and the seasonal resident
has a permanent home elsewhere.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 7
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
As with all research, the methodology used in this study has limitations and possible biases that the reader should be
aware of.
§ Annual Visitor Counts: Alberta Community Development, Parks and Protected Areas
Division, conducted counts of people during the 1986 to 2002 period at Sylvan Lake
Provincial Park2. While based on a sound methodology, these counts are missing data for
key months in most of these years. Analysis of monthly and yearly trends allowed us to
interpolate the missing data and estimate day visitation to the Sylvan Lake Provincial Park for
2006. While these visitor counts were cross-validated with other methods, there may be
some indeterminate error. Given the conservative assumptions used in the visitor counts,
any error likely results in an under-estimation of annual visitation.
§ Visitor Spending Estimates: Annual spending estimates were derived from the survey of
summer season visitors and may overstate annual spending. For example, summer season
visitors likely spend more on recreation related activities and retail purchases than non-
summer season visitors. Based on an analysis of spending patterns, this overstatement, if
any, is likely in the range of only 4% to 6% in a given year.
§ Survey Sampling Error: A randomly selected sample of visitors was taken to estimate spending
patterns and other statistics. The survey statistics are generally accurate to within plus or minus
5.0%, 19 times out of 20. This sampling error will flow through to the economic impact estimates. In
particular, spending estimates for seasonal visitors are subject to a higher probability of error since
the sample size was relatively small (n=21). However, the error regarding seasonal resident
spending will have a small relative impact on total spending estimates since seasonal resident
spending accounts for a relatively small proportion (about 12%) of total visitor spending.
§ Definition of a Visitor: The definition of visitor includes those who live in the region and visit
Sylvan Lake for shopping or other personal reasons. We expect the influence of these
visitors to be minor since sampling was done at visitor destination areas and the vast majority
of the sample was comprised of visitors in Sylvan for a recreational purpose.
2 Alberta Community Development, Visitation Statistics for Provincial Parks & Recreation Areas for the 2002/03 Fiscal Year.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 8
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
D. Tourism Sector Assets
D.1 Sector Overview
Central Alberta’s integrated tourism sector has a few key anchors, of which Sylvan Lake is among the most
significant. Other key assets in Central Alberta include 4 of the 10 most visited campgrounds in Alberta, 20 museums
and heritage sites, 35 golf courses, and visitor infrastructure that includes hotels, convention centres, restaurants and
other amenities. In the past 5 years there has been significant investment in new tourism assets. For example, since
1999 over $300 million has been invested in new hotels, recreational facilities, restaurants and other amenities in
Central Alberta. Even with this investment, hotel occupancy rates continue to exceed Canadian averages.
The current inventory of major capital investments in Sylvan Lake shows that the tourism/ recreation sector has more
investment than any other sector except infrastructure.3 The tourism sector will also be positively affected by several
significant developments that are underway, proposed, or announced. These include:
§ Waterfront Redevelopment Plan: Completed in May 2006, the plan envisions the creation of
a vibrant, diverse area that is both a family oriented area and a major tourism destination.
Better public access, preserving the natural waterfront and a more pedestrian-oriented
environment are goals of the plan. The plan also suggests a mixed use concept creating a
compact setting where there are opportunities to live, work, and play within a short distance.
Major milestones such as reconstructing Lakeshore Drive are outlined for the 2007-2011
period.
§ Housing Developments: There are several condominium investments in various stages of
development worth over $40 million. This does not include the 700-home development
recently announced for the Sylvan Southland Golf Course.
§ Hotels: A new 98 unit Ramada Inn is under construction and a $30 million resort in
downtown Sylvan Lake is proposed.
Sylvan Lake has seen very strong population growth in the past 10 years. In 1996, the Town’s population was 5,184
and is currently estimated around 10,000. Doubling in population over the past 10 years suggests the average
annual growth is approximately 7%. Growth over the next 10 years is likely to be strong as well. The recent
annexation of 7 sections of Red Deer County land will provide a land inventory capable of supporting an additional
10,000-14,000 residents. The twinning of Highway 11 between Red Deer and Sylvan Lake will also foster more
population growth and commercial expansion as the two communities increase their degree of economic integration.
Figure D1: Value of Total Building Permits for Sylvan Lake (Millions of dollars)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
3 Alberta Economic Development, Inventory of Major Alberta Projects as of September 2006.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 9
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
D.2 Natural Features
The biggest attraction to the town of Sylvan Lake is the lake itself. Sylvan Lake is almost exactly in between Alberta’s
two largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton; and it is only 20 km from Red Deer, Alberta’s third largest city. This central
location makes it one of the most popular recreation lakes in the province.
Relative to other Alberta Lakes, Sylvan is perceived as one of the best for sailing, boating and other water sports.
Sylvan Lake covers approximately 43 km2, has a mean depth of 9.6 metres, and relatively clear water. 4 There are
good sight lines at the south end of the lake for watching sporting events such as swimming, boating, and other water
sport competitions.
Sylvan Lake Provincial Park, a day use park, has 1.6 km of sand and grass beach and is the town’s single biggest
attraction. Picnic tables, tap water, change rooms, public telephones, playgrounds, and a pier are all provided. The
lake and park are completely accessible by highway and the fact that the park is integrated right into the town makes
it a highly sought-after destination.
Sylvan Lake is picturesque and is often noted for its scenic parks and view. The Sylvan Lake Natural Area at the
northwest end of the lake has 11 hectares of shore that is protected in a natural state.
The lake supports an active year-round sport fishery with a variety of species of popular fish including pike, perch,
whitefish, and walleye. In addition to ice fishing, the lake is used for ice skating, snowmobiling, and cross-country
skiing in the winter months.
D.3 Accommodations
There are six hotels/motels with about 200 rooms in the town of Sylvan Lake. Hotel/motel accommodations range
from budget accommodations to high end. Average annual occupancy is estimated to be about 63%, with July and
August being at/near full 100% occupancy.
A 98 unit Ramada Inn and Suites is under construction in the Beju Industrial/Commercial Park. The estimated cost of
this investment is $6.4 million. In 2001 the Sylvan Lake Hotel, at the corner of 50th Street and Lakeshore Drive, was
demolished to make way for a proposed new hotel project (anticipated to add another 94 suites).
Approximately 500 campground sites are present in 7 campgrounds in and around the town of Sylvan Lake. The
largest is the Jarvis Bay Provincial Campground with 200 sites. Campgrounds operate near full capacity during July
and August.
Figure D2: Inventory of Campgrounds/Sites in the Sylvan Lake Area
Campground Name Number of individual sites
Jarvis Bay Provincial Park 200
Lakewood Golf Course & RV Park 60
Sunny Siesta RV Park & Campground 99
Sylvan Lake RV Park 70
Don's Mobile Home and RV Park 20
Sylvan Southland Golf Course/ Resort 36
Sylvan Golf & CC 19th hole Campsite 30
Total Number of Individual Sites 515
4 Atlas of Alberta Lakes – see http://sunsite.uablerta.ca/Projects/Alberta-Lakes
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 10
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Nine bed & breakfasts (17 units) also exist within the town.
Nine group camps/retreats are present around the lake (e.g. Scouts, Girl Guides, various churches). About another
120 camp sites exist at these locations. Cabins, large halls, and other facilities are available for various groups to
rent.
In terms of meeting and convention space there are a few facilities such as the Community Centre, Tournament
House/Golf Course, and Legion Hall but little in the way of accommodating seating more than 200.
D.4 Seasonal Residents
A number of people take up seasonal residence in Sylvan Lake and in the summer villages surrounding Sylvan Lake.
These are people that live outside Sylvan Lake and own or rent/lease summer homes/cottages/cabins or RV sites.
There are an estimated 490 seasonal dwellings and 250 year-round dwellings at the summer villages.
Figure D3: Estimated Number of Seasonal Dwellings at Summer Villages Surrounding Sylvan Lake
Summer Village Estimated Number of Seasonal Dwellings
Birchcliff 81
Half Moon Bay 48
Jarvis Bay 70
Norglenwold 91
Sunbreaker Cove 200
Kuusamo Krest 81
Total Seasonal Dwellings 490
Within the town of Sylvan Lake, we estimate there are about 569 seasonal dwellings (cottages, condominiums,
apartments) 5. There are additional seasonal camp/RV sites (e.g. Points West Resort).
5 Data for Summer Villages includes Birchcliff, Half Moon Bay, Jarvis Bay, Norglenwold, and Sunbreaker Cove and was supplied
by the Summer Village Administration office. Counts of Sylvan Lake seasonal homes estimated from Statistics Canada.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 11
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
D.5 Attractions and Other Tourist Related Amenities
One of the top privately-run attractions for the town of Sylvan Lake is the Wild Rapids Waterslide Park. The Sylvan
Lake Summer Hockey Camp also attracts nearly 1,000 families each year.
Figure D4: Summary of Key Attractions/Tourist Related Amenities in the Town of Sylvan Lake
Attraction
Wild Rapids Waterslide Park
Ÿ 5 acres of free-standing waterslides plus kid’s pool and hot tubs.
Ÿ Operates June through September.
Sylvan Lake Summer Hockey Camp
Ÿ Has been in operation since 1975, and owned by Graham Parsons since 1984.
Ÿ The majority of participants, hockey players aged 7-18, are from Alberta although many participants come from other
parts of Western Canada, the United States, and sometimes from overseas.
Ÿ Operates near full capacity for 8 full weeks in July and August.
Ÿ A goaltending school is also run during the July and August long weekends.
Golf
Ÿ Twenty-three golf courses are within a one hour drive of Sylvan Lake.
Ÿ The Sylvan Lake Golf & Country Club is a premier golf facility located right in the town limits.
Ÿ Lakewood Golf Resort and Sylvan Southland Golf Course and Campground are just outside the town and offer combined
campground and golfing amenities.
Ÿ Top o’ the Hill, and Alberta Springs Golf Resort are also within a few kilometres of Sylvan Lake.
Marina
Ÿ Privately owned boat launch west of the Provincial Park in the town of Sylvan Lake.
Ÿ Provides boating/fishing supplies and resources including boat fuel, repair & maintenance, and parking for personal
vehicles and trailers.
Ÿ Provides docks and slips for over 200 boats.
Sylvan Cruises (Miss Mermaid and Zoo Cruises)
Ÿ Privately run boat cruises for private charters and general public admission. Meals catered on board.
Ÿ Boats dock at the Marina and the Pier.
Other attractions include Three Boys Toys (ski boat, sea doo, paddle boat, and water toy rentals) and Lakeside Go
Carts and Mini Golf. A new cinema, Silver Lake Cinema, is another amenity that adds stock to Sylvan Lake’s tourism
assets.
A family entertainment complex has also been announced for the Beju Industrial/Commercial Park and again will
benefit Sylvan Lake’s tourism base. This complex is expected to include a children’s play area, mini-golf course,
laser tag, arcade, and a family-oriented restaurant with a conference room.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 12
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
D.6 Food Service Industry
The Town of Sylvan Lake has 31 eating establishments – about 14 of which are full service restaurants, and 17 that
are limited service or fast food. The majority of the establishments are on or very near Lakeshore Drive. When
compared to provincial numbers, the number of eating establishments seems to be adequate for the population of
Sylvan Lake.
A Boston Pizza restaurant is under construction in the Beju Industrial Park.
D.7 Events
A number of special events are held in Sylvan Lake on an annual basis. These events often attract local residents
and visitors currently in Sylvan Lake. They also attract a unique number of visitors in terms of event participants, and
event spectators (often the friends and family of the participants). Some of the key events and their capacity are
listed in the following table.
Figure D5: Summary of Major Events in the Town of Sylvan Lake
Event
Coors Light Trauma Tour / Pro Wake Invitational
Ÿ 2006 crowds estimated at 17,500 up by 5,000 from 2005. Growth due mainly to growing from a 1 day event into a 2 day
event.
Ÿ Spectators mainly from Alberta; some BC, SK, other Canada, USA, and other international.
Ÿ Event Organizer: IMG Canada.
Ÿ Description: 3rd Annual; Professional Wakeboard competition, bands, bikini contests, freestyle motocross demonstrations.
Ÿ Target Audience: 18-24 age category.
Ÿ When: September long weekend.
Spitz Sylvan Lake Ice Marathon
Ÿ 460 participants in 2006 + estimated 1,000 spectators.
Ÿ Participants from Alberta, BC, USA (WA State), Quebec and some Europeans (Netherlands).
Ÿ Event Organizer: Foothills Speed Skating Marathon Association.
Ÿ Description: International speed skating event on Sylvan Lake’s natural ice.
Ÿ Target Audience: Competitors: family-oriented event.
Ÿ When: Late February.
Bullz on the Beach
Ÿ 30 participants (Professional Bull Riders) + 1,600 spectators (have to turn people away).
Ÿ Participants mainly from Alberta, Western Canada, and occasionally USA.
Ÿ Description: 5th annual bull riding competition. In 2006, event was held in new Multi-Purpose Facility.
Ÿ Target Audience: Competitors; family-oriented event.
Ÿ When: Late July.
Jazz at the Lake
Ÿ Spectators not counted, but estimated to be in the hundreds, perhaps as high as 1,000.
Ÿ Description: 4th Annual; Jazz musicians performing in various venues throughout the Town. Concert & Dance, Big Band
Concert, Jazz for Kids concert, pub crawl, and jam session.
Ÿ Event Organizer: local committee.
Ÿ Target Audience: Varies by performance venue.
Ÿ When: Mid August.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 13
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Figure D5 Continued: Summary of Major Events in the Town of Sylvan Lake
Event
Half Ironman Triathlon
Ÿ 450 participants in 2006 + an estimated 1,350 spectators.
Ÿ Participants mainly from Alberta; a few BC, SK, NWT participants.
Ÿ Event Organizer: local committee.
Ÿ Description: 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike ride, 21.1 km run.
Ÿ Target Audience: Competitors and their families.
Ÿ When: Late July.
Open Water Provincial Swimming Championships
Ÿ 189 participants in 2006 + an estimated 300 spectators.
Ÿ Most participants are from out of town (representing 8 different provinces and 2 territories; 4 participants from USA, 3 from
Bermuda) + 18 organizers/judges from out of town. 90% spectators from out of town.
Ÿ Event Organizer: Swim Alberta & Alberta Summer Swimming Association.
Ÿ Target Audience: Competitors of all ages and their families.
Ÿ When: Late July.
Sylvan Lake Dragon Boat Festival
Ÿ 400 -500 participants & volunteers.
Ÿ Participants from Alberta (Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge).
Ÿ Spectators estimated to be 5,000-7,000 in 2006, 200 in 2005 (due to inclement weather).
Ÿ Event Organizer: Paddle Paths Inc.
Ÿ Target Audience: Competitors (team event), families.
Ÿ When: Late August in 2006 (2nd annual event); Early September in 2005 (inaugural event).
Beach Volleyball Tournaments
Ÿ 4 tournaments x 60 participants = 240 participants + an estimated 40 spectators.
Ÿ Event Organizer: Alberta Volleyball Association.
Ÿ Target Audience: Competitors.
Ÿ When: Throughout the summer.
Volleyball Camp
Ÿ 100-115 campers.
Ÿ Event Organizer: Alberta Volleyball Association.
Ÿ Target Audience: Campers mainly from Alberta. About ½ camp/stay in town with their families.
Sailing Regattas
Ÿ Minimal number of visitors/spectators (about 6 out-of-town boats).
Ÿ Event Organizer: Sylvan Lake Sailing Club.
Ÿ When: One race in each of June, July, August, and September.
In addition to the events listed above, the Town and local organizations host Winterfest, Canada Day celebrations,
1913 Days, Show and Shine, and numerous other events. The Town of Sylvan Lake also produces fireworks
displays four times a year: New Years Day, Winterfest, 1913 Days, and December 1st after the Santa Claus Parade.
While these events undoubtedly attract some out-of-town visitors, their main audience consists of local residents.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 14
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
E. The Visitor Markets
E.1 Visitation Estimates, Key Segments, and Growth
Annual visitation to the Town of Sylvan Lake is typically quoted in the range of 1.0 million to 1.3 million people. While
these specific figures could not be substantiated in any published report, they are reasonably close to the estimate of
906,744 person visits (2006) derived for this study.
There are three broad segments of visitors to the Sylvan Lake area; day visitors, overnight visitors, and seasonal
residents. Day use visitors are the largest segment making up 86.7% of person visits. Overnight visitors account for
11.5% of person visits and seasonal residents make up 1.8% of person visits. Although small in terms of number of
person visits, overnight and season visits combined account for an estimated 813,205 person visit nights.
Figure E1: Estimate of Total Annual Visitors to the Sylvan Lake Area in 2006
Segment Party Visits Person Visits Person Visit Nights
Day use 200,132 786,519 0
Overnight 26,823 104,341 467,529
Seasonal 4,400 15,884 345,676
Total 231,355 906,744 813,205
Assessing the annual day use visitation to Sylvan Lake for this study was based on a count methodology. Counts
were adjusted according to survey information gathered from visitors and tourism business operators. The following
points highlight key assumptions and methods:
§ Alberta Community Development, Parks and Protected Areas Division conducted counts of
people during the 1986 to 2002 period at Sylvan Lake Provincial Park6. These figures were
extrapolated to 2006 as outlined in the methodology section.
§ Annual visitor counts were obtained from operators of key tourism attractions such as Wild
Rapids Waterslide Park, campgrounds, golf courses, Sylvan Lake Marina, cruise operators,
and were estimated for other attractions. These counts were added to the Sylvan Lake
Provincial Park day counts above after being adjusted to control for double counting. The
percent of day visitors using these facilities was estimated from intercept survey results.
§ Overnight visitor counts were estimated using accommodations capacity statistics and known
occupancy rates. That is, based on overnight guest capacity and occupancy rates in area
hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, campgrounds, group camps, and rental cabins, the number
of overnight visiting parties could be estimated. Interviews with accommodations operators
provided reliable occupancy and capacity data. In addition, Alberta Economic Development
was able to provide some occupancy statistics.
§ Seasonal resident visitors were calculated based on the number of residences in the Sylvan
Lake area multiplied by occupancy statistics derived from the survey. There are
approximately 531 seasonal residences in the Summer Villages surrounding Sylvan Lake and
an additional 569 in the Town of Sylvan Lake.7
6Alberta Community Development, Visitation Statistics for Provincial Parks & Recreation Areas for the 2002/03 Fiscal Year.
7Data for Summer Villages includes Birchcliff, Half Moon Bay, Jarvis Bay, Norglenwold, and Sunbreaker Cove and was supplied
by the Summer Village Administration office. Counts of Sylvan Lake seasonal homes estimated from Statistics Canada.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 15
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
The visitor count method above was validated using two other methods outlined below. These methods generally
support the visitor count figures shown in the above table.
§ Highway traffic counts: The difference between traffic volumes in summer versus winter, on
all highways to the Town of Sylvan Lake illustrates the probable volumes of visitors. This
analysis showed that there are an estimated 913,739 total person visits in 2006. This traffic
volume-based count is very close to our estimate of 906,744 person visits.
§ Visits to the Alberta Central Tourism Destination Region (TDR): In 2004 there were 2.3
million overnight person visits to the Alberta Central TDR. On a per population basis this
equates to 5.2 person visits. (2,300,000/445,000). With a population of approximately 11,000
for the Sylvan Lake area, one could expect approximately 56,854 (11,000x5.2) overnight
person visits. The study’s estimate of 104,341 overnight person visits is reasonable
considering Sylvan Lake is the 3rd most popular destination in the province and would have
visitation rates at least double those of other areas in the Alberta Central TDR.
Day use and seasonal resident visitation is highly seasonal with approximately 85% occurring between May and
September. Overnight visitation is also seasonal but approximately 30% of overnight visitation occurs in the
November to April period as a result of business-related travel, work crews, and convention or conference related
travel.
The Sylvan Lake area, with nearly 1 million visitors in 2006 is one of Alberta’s top destinations after Banff and Jasper
National Parks. In 2004 Banff National Park recorded 2.8 million visitors and Jasper National Park reported 1.9
million visitors.8 In 2002, Sylvan Lake Provincial Park was the second highest visited Provincial Park for day use after
Fish Creek Provincial Park in Calgary.
For camping, the nearby Jarvis Bay Provincial Park Campground is the 7th most popular provincial campground in
Alberta. Four of the top 10 most popular Alberta campgrounds are in Central Alberta with the most visited
campground, Aspen Beach Provincial Park, nearby.
While reliable statistics are not available to estimate growth in visitation to the Sylvan Lake area, a number of
indicators suggest visitor growth is approximately 3-5% per year.
§ The 2-way volume of traffic on highway 11 and 11a between Sylvan Lake and Red Deer has
been growing at an average annual rate of 5%. This compares to 3-4% annual volume
growth on Highway 2 over the same period.
§ 2006 visitor statistics for Tourism Red Deer have shown significant increase in the number of
visitors to Central Alberta.
§ Population growth in Sylvan Lake’s primary drawing areas (Red Deer, Central Alberta,
Edmonton, and Calgary) has been very strong (3-5%) for the past 5 years.
8 Alberta Economic Development, 2004 Alberta Tourism Market Monitor
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 16
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
E.2 Visitor Profile
The intercept survey of 789 randomly selected visitors provided rich detail about the summer season visitors.
Interviews were conducted at various times of day, on various days of the week from June to September. Interviews
were conducted in nine locations resulting in a representative cross-section of visitors.
Figure E2: Intercept Survey Locations and Sample Sizes
Location Number of Interviews Percent of Interviews
Sylvan Lake Provincial Park (beach) 496 63%
Jarvis Bay Provincial Park 75 10%
Sylvan Lake Provincial Park (park area) 66 8%
Sylvan Lake RV Park 45 6%
Wild Rapids Waterslide Park 45 6%
Sylvan Lake Arena 27 3%
Sylvan Lake Farmers’ Market 19 2%
Lion’s Park 11 1%
Visitor Information Centre 5 < 1%
Figure E3: Visitor Profile
Characteristic Observations
Origin Ÿ 89% of visitors are from Alberta; 4% are from Saskatchewan; 3% from BC.
Ÿ International travelers account for approximately 2% of visitors.
Ÿ Central Albertans account for 33% of visitors (17% Red Deer + 16% from within 60 kilometers).
Ÿ 22% from Greater Edmonton area; 18% from Calgary and area.
Trip purpose Ÿ 77%-pleasure/vacation; 11%-special events; 8%-Visiting friends/relatives.
Top 3 events, Ÿ 78% mention the beach, the lake, the water, or water-related activities.
activities, or Ÿ 14% mention visiting friends and family.
attractions that Ÿ 13% mention waterslides.
motivated visit Ÿ 10% mention camping or Jarvis Bay Provincial Park.
Visiting party size Ÿ Average visiting party size = 3.89.
and composition Ÿ 73% of parties are family units; 21%-group of family or friends; 5% traveling alone.
Ÿ During a typical period of occupancy, 3.61 people stay at a seasonal residence.
Demographics Ÿ Nearly two-thirds of respondents were 44 or younger.
Ÿ 80% employed full or part time. 66% have some post-secondary education.
Ÿ 36% with household incomes above $75,000.
Accommodations Ÿ 62%-Campground; 14%-hotel/ motel; 14%-friends/relatives.
Ÿ 8% stayed in a rented cabin, cottage, or vacation home.
Length of stay Ÿ 4.9 nights on average. Longer (6.39 nights) if staying in a rented cabin or cottage.
Ÿ During a typical year, seasonal residences are occupied for 87 days or 12.43 weeks.
Frequency of Ÿ 85% of respondents were repeat visitors to Sylvan Lake.
visitation and yearly Ÿ 38% of respondents had been to Sylvan Lake earlier in the summer.
visitation habits Ÿ Day trip respondents make an average of 7.6 day trips to Sylvan Lake area in a typical year.
Ÿ Overnight visitors stay an average of 7.6 nights in the Sylvan Lake area in a typical year.
Ÿ 25%-27% of respondents make trips to the Sylvan Lake area in the non-summer months.
Decision making Ÿ 71% of day trip visitors made their decision to visit Sylvan Lake within a day or two of coming.
Ÿ 45% of overnight visitors plan their visit 2 or more months in advance.
Transportation Ÿ 90% arrive by personal passenger vehicle; 8% by camper or RV.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 17
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
E.3 Visitor Services and Amenities Ratings
Overall, visitor satisfaction is very high. Out of 789 people interviewed, only two rated their satisfaction with their visit
to Sylvan Lake as poor. Four respondents rated their satisfaction as fair. The remaining visitors rated their
satisfaction as good, very good or excellent.
Figure E4: Satisfaction Ratings with Visit to Sylvan Lake
Visitor Segment
Category Day Trip Overnight Seasonal Resident
Excellent 15% 22% 28%
Very Good 60% 63% 56%
Good 25% 14% 11%
Fair 1% 1% 0%
Poor < 1% 0% 6%
In keeping with very high visit satisfaction ratings, the individual amenity ratings were also quite high. This is
particularly so for the visitor information centre, campgrounds, the beach, and a number of others. Public washrooms
was the lowest rated amenity with nearly half (47%) rating them as fair (34%) or poor (13%).
Figure E5: Satisfaction with Visitor Amenities in Sylvan Lake
Rating
Category Very Good or
Excellent Fair or Poor
(n= number of survey respondents) Good
Visitor information centre (n=62) 34% 58% 8%
Campgrounds (n=207) 26% 69% 5%
Beach (n=615) 24% 70% 6%
Accommodations (n=79) 22% 66% 13%
Brochures/ maps/ guides (n=171) 19% 78% 2%
Public parks (n=633) 17% 79% 4%
Shopping (n=314) 12% 78% 10%
Road signs (n=550) 11% 83% 6%
Restaurants (n=475) 10% 81% 9%
Service stations (n=282) 8% 88% 4%
Public washrooms (n=514) 3% 50% 47%
When asked whether any amenities needed to be added or improved, respondents had a number of suggestions.
General cleanliness and public washroom improvements were the most frequently mentioned suggested
improvements. However, parking, campgrounds, and traffic control also received a significant number of mentions.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 18
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Figure E6: Needed Improvements or Additions to Sylvan Lake Amenities
Surveys with
Theme this Suggestion
Clean/ rake beach, clean lake algae, need ashtrays/ ban smoking on beach, more trash cans on
113 or 21.3%
beach
Public washroom improvements (need more, clean more often, need soap and other supplies, need
public showers, more change rooms) 112 or 21.1%
Parking improvements 84 or 15.8%
More campgrounds, serviced sites, campground concerns 54 or 10.2%
Better traffic control on Lakeshore drive, need lights at 4-way stop, more traffic lights 48 or 9.1%
More picnic tables and benches 28 or 5.3%
Better signage (in town, to campgrounds, re: parking, on highways) 27 or 5.1%
More family restaurants (non-smoking) 24 or 4.5%
More affordable/quality hotels and motels 16 or 3.1%
More/better access to boat launches; less expensive 13 or 2.5%
More enforcement of bylaws; more police presence 11 or 2.1%
Need lifeguards on beach 11 or 2.1%
E.4 Visitor Spending Patterns
Visitors were asked to estimate their spending for their traveling party during their trip to Sylvan Lake. Spending was
estimated in ten categories.
Figure E7: Average Visitor Spending per Party per Trip (Per week for Seasonal Resident)
Visitor Segment
Seasonal
Day Trip Overnight
Category Resident
Rent or Lease payments n/a note n/a $45.48
Accommodations n/a $221.33 $0.00
Food and beverage at restaurants $30.40 $121.55 $79.90
Food and beverage at retail stores $11.90 $122.32 $132.62
Vehicle rental $0.74 $4.74 $0.00
Operate a private or rented vehicle $8.60 $46.82 $39.14
Sports & recreation activities $15.89 $82.14 $43.33
Cultural activities/ attractions $0.41 $6.70 $9.29
Clothing/ footwear/ accessories $2.48 $29.79 $3.33
Other purchases $0.77 $2.71 $0.95
Total average spending for traveling party $71.18 $638.10 $354.05/ week
Average spending per night spent n/a $130.22 $50.58
Average spending per visitor $18.11 $164.04 $114.21/ week
Note: spending category not applicable for the visitor segment.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 19
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
The following spending patterns are observed for traveling parties who spend the day at Sylvan Lake:
§ The average day party spends $71.18 per trip. Provincial Park users (park and beach areas)
spend an average of $69 and waterslide goers spend an average of $121. Interestingly, a
study completed for the Coors Light Pro Wake Invitational (Trauma Tour) found that the
average total spending for day trip spectator parties was $67. 9
§ Spending for food/ beverages at restaurants was the highest category ($30.40), followed by
sports and recreation activities ($15.89), food and beverage at retail stores ($11.90), and
vehicle operation ($8.60).
§ Nearly 11% (10.8%) of day trip parties report spending no money. Although relatively few in
percentage terms, this translates into approximately 21,600 parties or 85,000 people per
year. An additional 4.9% of day trip traveling parties report spending $10 or less.
Spending patterns for overnight visitors is characterized by the following:
§ Overnight visiting parities spend on average $638.10 per trip and $130.22 per night.
Spending per trip by overnight visiting parties is approximately 9 times that of day use visitor
spending. Spending varies considerably depending on their accommodations. For example,
o Visitors staying in campgrounds spend $571.00 per trip or $118 per night.
o Visitors staying in hotels / motels spend $765 per trip or $201 per night.
o Cabin renters spend $1,656 per trip or $259 per night.
§ Spending for accommodations was the highest category ($221.33) followed by food and
beverage at retail stores ($122.32), food/ beverages at restaurants ($121.55), sports and
recreation activities ($82.14), and vehicle operation ($46.82).
§ Overnight spending of $164.04 gathered on the intercept survey is very close to spending
estimates for overnight person visits to the Central Alberta Tourism Destination Region of
$161.13. 10
The average seasonal resident spends $354.05 per week during a period of just over 12 weeks per year. Spending
for food and beverage at retail stores was highest ($132.62), followed by food/ beverages at restaurants ($79.90),
sports and recreation activities ($43.33), and vehicle operation ($39.14).
Visitors reported that most of their spending was in the town of Sylvan Lake. More specifically visitors reported that
68% of their spending was in businesses along Lakeshore Drive.
Figure E8: Percent of Total Visitor Spending by Location
Visitor Segment
Seasonal
Day Trip Overnight
Category Resident
Percent of spending in the town of Sylvan Lake 97.0% 90.0% 88.1%
Percent of spending in businesses along Lakeshore Drive 83.4% 51.4% 37.2%
The percentage of visitor spending in both the town and along Lakeshore Drive was greatest for day trip traveling
parties. Overnight visitors reported that 90.0% of spending was in the town. Seasonal residents did the least
spending along Lakeshore Drive (37.2%).
9Comperio Research, Trauma Tour, Sylvan Lake, Onsite Research Report, September 2006.
10Alberta Economic Development, Policy & Economic Analysis: Tourism in Central Alberta, A Summary of Visitor Numbers,
Revenue & Characteristics, 2004, pages 1-2.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 20
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
E.5 Annual Visitor Spending Estimates
An estimate of total annual visitor spending in Sylvan Lake is made by applying the average spending figures in the
previous section to the annual number of visitors as described in section E.1. The total spending is then adjusted to
reflect only the spending in the town of Sylvan Lake. For example, spending on accommodations for overnight
visitors is calculated as follows:
§ Overnight visiting parities spend an average $221.33 on accommodations per visit. Multiplied
by 26,823 overnight visiting parties per year and by the percentage of spending in the town of
Sylvan Lake as reported on the survey (90%) = $5,343,061.
By applying the above method to all of the spending and visitor categories, annual spending by visitors is estimated at
just under $33.5 million. Overnight visitors account for 46% of this spending followed closely by day trippers who
account for 41%. Seasonal residents account for approximately 13% of annual visitor spending.
Figure E9: Annual Visitor Spending Estimates
Visitor Segment
Category Day Trip Overnight Seasonal Resident All Visitors
Rent or Lease payments n/a note n/a $548,241 $548,241
Accommodations n/a $5,343,078 n/a $5,343,078
Food and beverage at restaurants $5,900,981 $2,934,310 $963,296 $9,798,587
Food and beverage at retail stores $2,309,266 $2,952,967 $1,598,796 $6,861,029
Vehicle rental $143,077 $114,350 $0.00 $257,427
Operate a private or rented vehicle $1,669,234 $1,130,191 $471,889 $3,271,314
Sports & recreation activities $3,084,744 $1,982,933 $522,407 $5,590,084
Cultural activities/ attractions $78,692 $161,695 $111,944 $352,332
Clothing/ footwear/ accessories $480,739 $719,066 $40,185 $1,239,991
Other purchases $150,231 $65,534 $11,481 $227,246
Total spending $13,816,965 $15,404,122 $4,268,240 $33,489,328
Note: spending category not applicable for the visitor segment.
Even though average overnight visitor spending is approximately 9 times higher than average day trip visitor
spending, the total spending between the two groups is approximately equal because of the much larger annual
number of day trip visitors. While day trip visitors do not spend money on accommodations, their total spending is
considerably more than overnight visitors on food and beverages at restaurants, operation of private vehicles, sports
and recreation activities, and other purchases.
Overall, total visitor spending is highest in the food and beverage categories followed by accommodations and sport/
recreation spending. These 4 categories combined account for just over 80% of all visitors’ spending.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 21
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
F. Economic Impact Analysis
F.1 Overview
The central idea behind economic impact is that a dollar spent (or not spent) has an impact far greater than the initial
spending. The impact of the initial change in spending is ‘multiplied’ through the economy in the form of direct,
indirect, and induced impacts.
§ Direct Impacts: For example, a visitor spends $100 on food and beverages during a stay in
Sylvan Lake. The restaurant uses most of this to pay for supplies such as food, beverages,
staff, and overhead. Spending by the restaurant owner represents a direct impact.
§ Indirect Impacts: The supplier/ wholesaler of restaurant supplies in turn spends some of the
initial $100 to pay for the raw materials, overhead, and labour to run their business. This
second round and subsequent rounds of spending create an indirect impact.
§ Induced Impacts: Employees of the restaurant, the restaurant supplier, and other employees
of related firms spend their salaries (a part of the initial $100) on consumer goods, rent, and
other services they need. This spending creates an induced impact.
The impact of spending is often expressed using economic ‘multipliers.’ Alberta Finance calculates multipliers for
various industries and commodities using an ‘input-output’ model. The model measures the impact based on the
initial change in spending. For example, if spending $100 translates into an impact of $180 the multiplier would be
1.80. This analysis can specify effects for a variety of economic variables. For example, the spending impact can be
measured in terms of the number of jobs, income, and tax revenues.
Calculating the economic impact of tourism for the town of Sylvan Lake was a two step process:
1. Visitor spending estimates from the visitor survey were projected onto the total number of annual
visitors to Sylvan Lake. The result was a total annual visitor spending in the various categories
such as accommodations, food and beverages, entertainment, etc. This was outlined in section
E.5
2. Alberta Finance was contracted to perform a custom impact analysis using their Input-Output
model and the annual spending estimates from step 1. Alberta Finance, Statistics maintains an
Input-Output model for 2002 that covers 114 industries and 477 commodities.
This economic impact analysis is based on annual visitor spending in the categories outlined in Figure E9 on the
previous page. The analysis does not account for the value of sector assets such as hotels or restaurants. Also, the
analysis does not account for capital investment by businesses or individuals.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 22
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
F.2 Economic Impact of Visitor Spending
Visitor spending in Sylvan Lake generates an economic impact of $48.4 million and creates 425 person years11 of
employment on an annual basis. Visitor spending also generates a total of $5.8 million in tax and royalty revenue at
all government levels combined.
Figure F1: Summary of Economic Impact of Visitor Spending
Economic Impact ($000) by Visitor Segment and Total
Impact Category Day Trip Overnight Seasonal Resident All Visitors 1
Total annual economic impact $22,399 $19,511 $6,470 $48,380
Labour income $6,394 $5,687 $1,762 $13,842
Federal taxes (including CPP/EI) $1,274 $1,129 $380 $2,783
Provincial taxes $1,107 $969 $337 $2,414
Local taxes 2 $252 $223 $97 $572
Annual person-years of employment 3 198 177 49 425
Source: Alberta Finance, Statistics, October 2006
Note 1: The sum of numbers for each visitor segment may not sum to the figures shown in the ‘All Visitors’ column due to rounding.
Note 2: Includes licenses, fees, permits, business tax, and property taxes generated by the visitor spending activity only. The model calculates
the tax impact based on provincial tax rate averages. This figure does not represent total tax revenue for the Town of Sylvan Lake.
Note 3: The majority of this employment is created in Sylvan Lake but some will be created in other parts of Alberta.
The economic impact of spending for day visitors is the highest at approximately $22.4 million followed closely by
overnight visitors at $19.5 million. The economic impact of seasonal resident spending is considerably lower but still
a significant $6.5 million per year.
Visitor spending creates $13.8 million annually in labour income and supports 425 person years of employment. The
majority of the employment is created in the accommodation and food service industry (188 person years) and the
retail and wholesale trade industries (83 person years). Employment of 425 person years is a significant proportion of
the total labour force in Sylvan Lake which is estimated to be approximately 5,600 people in 2006.
According to the 2001 Census there were 385 people employed in the accommodations and food service industry in
Sylvan Lake. This figure would include both full and part time employees. As a conservative estimate, visitor
spending probably supports at least half of these jobs.
11 1 person year = 1 person working full-time for 1 year.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 23
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
G. Sector Opportunities
The Town of Sylvan Lake is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Alberta and Canada. It is set in the middle of
one of North America’s most prosperous regions, the Calgary-Edmonton corridor. Nearly 1 million visitors come to
Sylvan Lake annually to enjoy the natural beauty of arguably the best recreation lake in Alberta. Visitor growth will
follow the population growth in key Alberta markets. These facts combined with tourism spending of over $33 million
suggest that opportunities in Sylvan Lake’s tourism sector exist.
In each research component of this study, respondents were asked about their thoughts on what opportunities may
exist. Based on this input, a number of general tourism sector opportunities have been identified. This method of
opportunity identification is preliminary and should be followed by in-depth research and analysis to assess and
quantify potential opportunities.
Figure G1: Summary of Sector Opportunities
Opportunity Description
Convention Ÿ Some business owners identified the ‘corporate’ market as having the most potential and suggested
and Meeting that Sylvan Lake is gaining some limited momentum in this area.
Visitor Market Ÿ Sylvan Lake is the ideal central meeting place for business travellers from most Alberta points of origin.
Ÿ Sylvan Lake is a convenient nearby ‘get-away’ resort area for conventions, retreats, and meetings.
Ÿ Twinning of highway 11 and the possibility of high speed rail boost Sylvan Lake’s position in this market.
Ÿ The main meeting and convention season is September to May which balances capacity use with the peak
summer season.
Ÿ The overnight visitor market generates higher revenues per trip than day use.
Ÿ The main barrier to exploiting this opportunity is a lack of hotel rooms and convention and meeting space in
Sylvan Lake. For example, Sylvan Lake’s current capacity for groups of 200+ is limited.
Ÿ There is some potential to accommodate banquets/ socials that accompany the many special events
attracted to the town.
Non-summer, Ÿ Shoulder season or winter season multi-day events would significantly boost tourism spending and help
multi-day support existing and future sector capacity.
special events Ÿ The Spitz Sylvan Lake Ice Marathon is the ideal example of this type of event. It draws about 500
participants and 1,000 spectators. As a multi-day event it also generates the higher revenues associated
with overnight visitation.
Ÿ Related events that tap the sport-tourism market may be a natural fit with Sylvan Lake. For example:
o Bonspiels
o Provincial championships/ games
o Snowmobile racing or derbies
o Fishing derbies
o Tournaments and competitions
Ÿ There may also be an opportunity to explore Arts and Culture tourism-related festivals and events.
Ÿ The main barrier to exploiting this opportunity is a lack of larger scale amenities such as hotel rooms and
convention and meeting space in Sylvan Lake. However, there may be an opportunity to partner with
nearby communities to host larger events.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 24
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Figure G1: Summary of Sector Opportunities (Continued)
Opportunity Description
Hotels/ motels Ÿ Business owners and visitors identified accommodations as a need in Sylvan Lake. Specifically mid-range,
quality facilities were required. The best testament to this need is the fact that a new 98-unit Ramada Inn
currently is being built that will add 50% more hotel rooms than currently exists in Sylvan. It would not be
surprising to see follow-on investment in the accommodation sector.
Ÿ One stakeholder interviewed suggested a hotel with a swimming pool is needed for tournament/family
visitors.
Ÿ Vacancy in most Sylvan Lake hotels/ motels is near zero for July and August and in the 50-70% range
during the balance of the year. Industrial crews are the largest segment of non-summer visitors.
Continued economic growth in Central Alberta coupled with successfully tapping into the corporate market
has the potential to feed room demand in the non-summer season.
Campgrounds Ÿ 33 visitors and some businesses surveyed mentioned that the area needed more campgrounds and sites.
Ÿ Capacity utilization at current campgrounds supports this opportunity. For example, one campground
reported that they are at greater than 100% occupancy for 27 days in the summer season.
Ÿ Land value and availability is the main barrier to this opportunity.
Family Ÿ 24 visitors mentioned that the area needed more restaurants – particularly family-oriented restaurants. A
oriented new Boston Pizza restaurant opening up near the new Ramada Hotel might help meet this perceived gap.
restaurants Ÿ An analysis of the number of full-service and limited service restaurants shows that Sylvan Lake has more
restaurants per capita than Alberta on average. However, with Sylvan Lake’s rapid population growth and
the high seasonal population, further expansion may be warranted.
General Ÿ Stakeholders raised the opportunity to re-brand Sylvan Lake as more of a family resort destination.
branding Ÿ While this idea may have merit, it is a strategic decision that would need to be supported by:
o Shifting the product mix to appeal to a family target audience. This may include fostering
amenity development that appeals to the target and controlling development that is off-
target.
o Hosting more events with a family focus.
o Promotional strategy that targets families.
Ÿ Many elements in Sylvan Lake’s Waterfront Redevelopment Plan support re-branding Sylvan Lake.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 25
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
H. Next Steps/ Recommendations
This study offers solid baseline information on Sylvan Lake’s tourism sector. To further the cause of developing this
sector, the following recommendations are offered.
Recommendation Area 1: Promote this Study to the Business Community and Entrepreneurs
Ÿ Issue a news release regarding this study.
Ÿ Post the report at the Town of Sylvan Lake web site.
Ÿ Use available internal publications for a feature story on the study.
Ÿ Send a copy to the Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce and to key tourism-related
businesses in Sylvan Lake.
Ÿ Send report copies to entrepreneurs known to be establishing businesses in Sylvan Lake and
those making enquiries about establishing businesses.
Recommendation Area 2: Improve Readiness for Tourism Sector Development
Ÿ Establish a valid method for estimating visitation statistics and perform annual counts. This is
the most basic information that is required for understanding, planning, and developing the
tourism sector. It may be possible to partner with Alberta Community Development, who
does counts for other provincial parks, to establish a joint program.
Ÿ Improve tracking, recording, and publication of key tourism statistics such as sector
investment amounts, permits issued, tax revenues, counts of seasonal homes and tourist
homes, counts of tourism related businesses, and other assets.
Ÿ Work to improve connections and cooperation between stakeholders in the tourism sector
such as local businesses, the Friends of Sylvan Lake Provincial Park, The Town of Sylvan
Lake, and others. A tourism related umbrella group such as a regional tourism committee
may help to strengthen connections and help coordinate sector development.
Recommendation Area 3: Additional Planning and Research
Ÿ Bring stakeholders together (as mentioned above) to create a long-term tourism development
vision and strategy. This could include a discussion with stakeholders regarding a strategic
re-branding for Sylvan Lake.
Ÿ Undertake a comprehensive investment opportunity study to identify, explain, and make a
business case for specific investment opportunities in the tourism sector.
Ÿ Repeat an economic impact of tourism study every 3-5 years to include the latest information
and developments.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 26
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Appendix A.1: Day Trip/ Overnight Visitor Survey Instrument
Interviewer: _________ Date: ___________ Time: ________ Location: ______
Introduction Script: Hi my name is ____________ and I’m doing a short visitor survey for the Town of Sylvan Lake.
1. Are you …? [READ LIST]
¨1 A visitor, staying in the Sylvan Lake area for all or some of the day. [SKIP TO Q6]
¨2 A visitor, staying in the Sylvan Lake area for 1 or more nights.
¨3 A seasonal resident of Sylvan Lake or a summer village on Sylvan Lake. You live at a seasonal residence
that you own or rent. [GO TO SEASONAL RESIDENT SECTION ON PAGE 6…]
If respondent is a year-round resident of Sylvan Lake and area THANK RESPONDENT AND SAY: “Thank you for your time but
unfortunately you do not qualify for this survey. Have a nice day.
Introduction Script:
Do you have 10 - 15 minutes to answer a few simple questions? [IF YES, SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP] Your individual
responses are anonymous and confidential. Thank you for your help. This survey is being done to help the Town of Sylvan Lake
understand tourism in this area and to see what visitors think about Sylvan Lake.
2. While visiting the Sylvan Lake area, are you spending any nights in Red Deer?
¨1 Yes, Number of nights__________ ¨2 No
3. How many total nights are you staying in the Sylvan Lake area on this trip? ____________
4. While in Sylvan Lake, how many nights have you or will you stay in each of the following accommodations?
¨1 ________ Campground [INCLUDES ALL PRIVATE, PROVINCIAL, AND GROUP CAMPS]
¨2 ________ Cabin, cottage, or vacation home - RENTED
¨3 ________ Cabin, cottage, or vacation home - PRIVATELY OWNED/ NOT RENTED
¨4 ________ Hotel, motel, resort, Chateau Suites
¨5 ________ Bed and Breakfast or country inn
¨6 ________ Friends or relatives
¨7 ________ Other [SPECIFY]_____________________________________________________
5. Were any travel packages purchased for your trip to the Sylvan Lake area? If yes, what was the cost of the travel
package?
¨1 Yes, cost of $_________________ ¨2 No
Where do you live? City/town______________ Prov/State:______________ Country: ______________
6. Which of the following best describes your traveling party or group?
¨1 A family unit ¨4 Travelling alone
¨2 A group of friends or families ¨5 Other [SPECIFY]_______________
¨3 Part of an organized tour group
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 27
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
7. Including you, how many people in your immediate traveling party are in the following age categories? [CHECK OFF
RESPONDENT’S AGE CATEGORY IN BRACKETS]
____ 5 years or younger ____ ( ) 45 to 54 years
____ 6 to 14 years ____ ( ) 55 to 64 years
____ ( ) 15 to 24 years ____ ( ) 65 to 74 years
____ ( ) 25 to 34 years ____ ( ) 75 years or older
____ ( ) 35 to 44 years
8. Is the Sylvan Lake area your main destination or are you traveling to another destination?
¨1 Sylvan Lake area
¨2 Other [SPECIFY]___________________________________________________
9. What is the main purpose of your visit to the Sylvan Lake area? (check one)
¨1 Pleasure, vacation, or holiday
¨2 Visit friends or relatives.
¨3 A special event such as a festival, concert, sports event or activity (including hockey school)
¨4 For business or work-related reasons.
¨5 Personal reasons such as shopping, errands.
¨6 Other [SPECIFY]___________________________________________________
10. When did you make the final decision to visit the Sylvan Lake area?
¨1 Within the last 1-2 days ¨4 2 to 3 months ago
¨2 3-7 days ago ¨5 More than 3 months ago
¨3 More than 1 week ago but not more than 1 month ago ¨6 Other [SPECIFY] __________
11. What means of transportation did you personally use to travel to the Sylvan Lake area?
¨1 Personal passenger vehicle (car or truck) – rented or owned
¨2 Camper or recreational vehicle – rented or owned
¨3 Bus (scheduled or charter)
¨4 Motorcycle
¨5 Aircraft (personal or commercial)
¨6 Other [SPECIFY]___________________________________________________
12. Have you visited the Sylvan Lake area before today? ¨ 1 Yes ¨ 2 No (SKIP TO Q17)
13. When was the last time you visited the Sylvan Lake area?__________________________ [SKIP TO Q17 IF MORE THAN
A YEAR AGO]
14. In a typical year, how often do you visit the Sylvan Lake area? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY - IF THEY MAKE NO TRIPS IN
A TYPICAL YEAR SKIP TO Q16]
¨1 ________ Day trips ¨2 ________ Number of total nights spent
15. In a typical year do you make any trips to the Sylvan Lake area in the…? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
¨ 1 Summer (June, July, ¨ 2 Fall (September, ¨3 Winter (December, ¨ 4 Spring (March,
August) October, November) January, February) April, May)
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 28
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
16. I would like to ask you about the purchases you made [OR WILL MAKE] on this visit to the Sylvan Lake area
including taxes and tips. Please do not forget to include the costs for the traveling party members who are traveling with
you. [IF TRAVELLING PARTY IS A TOUR GROUP/ MULTIPLE FAMILIES, RECORD AMOUNTS FOR HOUSEHOLD
ONLY] All amounts are in Canadian dollars. Including credit card purchases, was money spent for…[READ LIST]? How
much was spent on…?
$__________ Accommodations such as hotel/ motel, camping, cottage rentals, bed and breakfasts. Please do
not include food or beverages (unless a B&B).
$__________ Food and beverages purchased at restaurants, bars and hotels, including tips.
$__________ Food and beverages purchased at stores. [INLCUDES ALCOHOL]
$__________ Vehicle rental not including taxes or insurance. This includes personal and recreation vehicles and
campers but does not include boats or personal watercraft.
$__________ To operate a private or rented vehicle including gas or repairs. This includes gas and supplies to
operate a private or rented recreational vehicle [I.E. CAMPER/ MOTORHOME].
$__________ Sports or recreational activities, equipment, or equipment rentals for these activities. This would
include admission fees to parks, boat/ personal watercraft rental, beach toys, same-day tours,
golfing fees, etc.
$__________ Cultural, or entertainment activities or attractions. This would include concerts, theatres, movies,
museums, etc.
$__________ Clothing, footwear, or accessories.
$__________ Other purchases or expenses e.g. taxis, bus fares, etc.. This does not include items bought for
commercial purposes and major purchases such as vehicles or real estate.
$__________ Total spending on trip.
17. What approximate percent of your total spending was made in the Town of Sylvan Lake? ____________% [NOTE THIS
MEANS SPENDING IN THE TOWN LIMITS - SEE DEFINITION]
What approximate percent of your total spending was made in the lakefront area of Sylvan Lake? ____________% [NOTE THIS MEANS
SPENDING IN BUSINESSES ALONG LAKESHORE DRIVE]
18. What 3 activities/events/or other attractions most influenced your decision to visit the Sylvan Lake area? What did you do?
1
2
3
19. I’m going to ask you to rate a few Sylvan Lake area facilities. Would you say that the …. Are poor, fair, good, very good, or
excellent? [REPEAT SCALE AS NEEDED - LEAVE BLANK IF VISITOR HAS NOT USED/ OR HAS NO OPINION ON]. [IF
RESPONDENT HAS OTHER FACILITY TO RATE, SPECIFY AS ITEM L BELOW AND GIVE RATING]
Item Poor Fair Good V. Good Excellent
A. Accommodations (hotel, cottage, b&b) ................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
B. Campgrounds........................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
C. Restaurants........................................................................... ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
D. Service stations................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
E. Retail shopping ................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
F. Tourist Information Centre..................................................... ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
G. Public washrooms................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
H. Public parks .......................................................................... ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
I. Road signs and directions ..................................................... ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
J. Brochures, maps, visitor guides............................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
K. The Beach area................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
L. Other_________________________................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 29
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
20. Do you think Sylvan Lake needs to improve or add any amenities for visitors? For example, what services,
facilities, attractions, or stores do you think are needed to better serve visitors to Sylvan Lake? [LIST UP TO 3 MENTIONS]
1
2
3
21. How would you rate your overall satisfaction with your visit to Sylvan Lake? Would you say that it is…
¨1 Poor ¨2 Fair ¨3 Good ¨4 Very Good ¨5 Excellent
22. Which of the following best describes your workforce participation?
¨1 Employed full time ¨4 Retired
¨2 Employed part time ¨5 Not employed
¨3 Student ¨6 Other [SPECIFY] ________________
23. Which category best describes your highest level of education?
¨1 Less than completed high school
¨2 Completed high school
¨3 Some college, trade school or university
¨4 College or trade school certificate/ diploma
¨5 Bachelor level university degree
¨6 Post graduate university degree (masters or doctorate)
24. What is your best estimate of the total income, before taxes and deductions, of all household members from all sources in
2005? [IF LIVING WITH ROOMMATES RECORD PERSONAL INCOME]
¨1 $0 to $25,000 ¨5 $100,001 to $125,000
¨2 $25,001 to $50,000 ¨6 $125,001 to $150,000
¨3 $50,001 to $75,000 ¨7 More than $150,000
¨4 $75,001 to $100,000 ¨8 Refused
25. Are there any final comments you would like to make about your visit to the Sylvan Lake area?
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
Enjoy the rest of your stay in Sylvan Lake
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 30
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Appendix A.2: Seasonal Resident Survey Instrument
Interviewer: ________ Date: ___________ Time: ________ Location: _______________
Introduction Script: Hi my name is ____________ and I’m doing a short visitor survey for the Town of Sylvan Lake.
Are you …? [READ LIST]
¨1 A visitor, staying in the Sylvan Lake area for all or some of the day. [SKIP TO Q6]
¨2 A visitor, staying in the Sylvan Lake area for 1 or more nights.
¨3 A seasonal resident of Sylvan Lake or a summer village on Sylvan Lake. You live at a seasonal residence
that you own or rent. [GO TO SEASONAL RESIDENT SECTION ON PAGE 6…]
If respondent is a year-round resident of Sylvan Lake and area THANK RESPONDENT AND SAY: “Thank you for your time but
unfortunately you do not qualify for this survey. Have a nice day.
Introduction Script:
Do you have 10 - 15 minutes to answer a few simple questions? [IF YES, SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP] Your individual
responses are anonymous and confidential. Thank you for your help. This survey is being done to help the Town of Sylvan Lake
understand tourism in this area and to see what visitors think about Sylvan Lake.
Seasonal Resident Questions (Code 3 from Question 1)
1. Do you own this seasonal home or are you renting it from another owner?
¨1 Own ¨2 Renting ¨3 Other [SPECIFY]___________________________
2. Where is the seasonal home located?
¨1 Town of Sylvan Lake ¨4 Summer Village of Half Moon Bay
¨2 Summer Village of Jarvis Bay ¨5 Summer Village of Sunbreaker Cove
¨3 Summer Village of Norglenwold ¨6 Other [SPECIFY]__________________
3. Approximately how many days of a typical year is this seasonal residence occupied by you or another
party?__________________
4. Do you make any trips to the Sylvan Lake area in the… (in a typical year)? [CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]?
¨1 Summer (June, July, ¨2 Fall (September, ¨3 Winter (December, ¨4 Spring (March,
August) October, November) January, February) April, May)
5. During a typical period of occupancy, how many people would stay at this seasonal residence? ______
6. When not staying at the seasonal residence, where do you live?
City/town______________ Prov/State:______________ Country: _____________
7. During your stay at the seasonal residence, do you make any purchases in the Town of Sylvan Lake?
¨1 Yes ¨2 No [SKIP TO Q11]
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 31
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
8. I would like to ask you about the purchases you made [OR WILL MAKE] in Sylvan Lake in a typical week while staying at
your seasonal residence. Please do not forget to include the costs for all people who stay at the seasonal residence. All
amounts are in Canadian dollars. Including credit card purchases, was money spent for…[READ LIST]? How much was
spent on…? [DOES NOT INCLUDE OCCUPANCY COSTS SUCH AS UTILITIES, UPKEEP/ RENOVATIONS, TAXES,
ETC, OR THE PURCHASE OF THE RESIDENCE].
$__________ [IF RENTING SEASONAL HOME] Rent or lease payments.
$__________ Food and beverages purchased at restaurants, bars and hotels, including tips.
$__________ Food and beverages purchased at stores. [INLCUDES ALCOHOL]
$__________ Vehicle rental not including taxes or insurance. This includes personal and recreation vehicles
and campers but does not include boats or personal watercraft.
$__________ To operate a private or rented vehicle including gas or repairs. This includes gas and supplies to
operate a private or rented recreational vehicle [I.E. CAMPER/ MOTORHOME].
$__________ Sports or recreational activities, equipment, or equipment rentals for these activities. This would
include admission fees to parks, boats/ personal watercraft rental, beach toys, same-day tours,
golfing fees, etc.
$__________ Cultural, or entertainment activities or attractions. This would include concerts, theatres, movies,
museums, etc.
$__________ Clothing, footwear, or accessories.
$__________ Other purchases or expenses. This does not include items bought for commercial purposes and
major purchases such as vehicles or real estate.
$__________ Total spending during a typical week.
9. What approximate percent of your total spending was made in the Town of Sylvan Lake? ____________% [NOTE THIS
MEANS SPENDING IN THE TOWN LIMITS - SEE DEFINITION]
10. What approximate percent of your total spending was made in the lakefront area of Sylvan Lake? ____________% [NOTE
THIS MEANS SPENDING IN BUSINESSES ALONG LAKESHORE DRIVE].
11. What 3 activities, events, or other attractions do you participate in during your visit the Sylvan Lake area?
1
2
3
12. I’m going to ask you to rate a few Sylvan Lake area facilities. Would you say that the …. Are poor, fair, good, very good, or
excellent? [REPEAT SCALE AS NEEDED - LEAVE BLANK IF VISITOR HAS NOT USED/ OR HAS NO OPINION ON]. [IF
RESPONDENT HAS OTHER FACILITY TO RATE, SPECIFY AS ITEM L BELOW AND GIVE RATING].
Item Poor Fair Good V. Good Excellent
A. Accommodations (not campground) ................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
B. Campgrounds................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
C. Restaurants........................................................................... 1
¨ ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
D. Service stations................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
E. Retail shopping ................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
F. Tourist Information Centre..................................................... 1 ¨ ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
G. Public washrooms................................................................ 1 ¨ ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
H. Public parks ................................................................ ¨1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
I. Road signs and directions ..................................................... 1 ¨ ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
J. Brochures, maps, visitor guides............................................ 1 ¨ ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
K. The Beach area................................................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
L. Other_________________________................................ ¨ 1 ¨2 ¨3 ¨4 ¨5
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 32
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
13. Do you think Sylvan Lake needs to improve or add any amenities for visitors? For example, what services, facilities,
attractions, or stores do you think are needed to better serve visitors to Sylvan Lake? [LIST UP TO 3 MENTIONS]
1
2
3
14. How would you rate your overall satisfaction with your visit to Sylvan Lake? Would you say that it is…
¨1 Poor ¨2 Fair ¨3 Good ¨4 Very Good ¨5 Excellent
15. Including you, how many people in your traveling party are in the following age categories? [CHECK OFF
RESPONDENT’S AGE CATEGORY IN BRACKETS]
____ 5 years or younger ____ ( ) 45 to 54 years
____ 6 to 14 years ____ ( ) 55 to 64 years
____ ( ) 15 to 24 years ____ ( ) 65 to 74 years
____ ( ) 25 to 34 years ____ ( ) 75 years or older
____ ( ) 35 to 44 years
16. Which of the following best describes your workforce participation?
¨ 1 Employed full time
¨ 2 Employed part time
¨ 3 Student
¨ 4 Retired
¨ 5 Not employed
¨ 6 Other [SPECIFY]________________________________________
17. Which category best describes your highest level of education?
¨1 Less than completed high school
¨2 Completed high school
¨3 Some college, trade school or university
¨4 College or trade school certificate/ diploma
¨5 Bachelor level university degree
¨6 Post graduate university degree (masters or doctorate)
18. What is your best estimate of the total income, before taxes and deductions, of all household members from all sources in
2005? [IF LIVING WITH ROOMMATES RECORD PERSONAL INCOME]
¨1 $0 to $25,000 ¨5 $100,001 to $125,000
¨2 $25,001 to $50,000 ¨6 $125,001 to $150,000
¨3 $50,001 to $75,000 ¨7 More than $150,000
¨4 $75,001 to $100,000 ¨8 Refused
19. Are there any final comments you would like to make about your visit to the Sylvan Lake area?
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
Enjoy the rest of your stay in Sylvan Lake
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 33
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Appendix B: Study Contacts
Local Stakeholders and Businesses
Name Organization Title/ Area
Dirk Appel Foothills Speed Skating Marathon Association Organizer
Chris Artibello Sylvan Lake Half Ironman Triathlon Race Director
John Bjustrom Bullz on the Beach Organizer
Board of Directors Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce Focus group with 5 Directors
Fred Carstensen Sylvan Lake Sailing Club Commodore
Gavin Chisholm Sylvan Lake RV Park Owner
Charlie Everest Wild Rapids Waterslide Park General Manager
Chris Hansen Paddle Paths Inc. Organizer
Ron Heaslip Jarvis Bay Provincial Park Contractor
Darren Kuz Tourism Red Deer Executive Director
Cynthia Leigh Sylvan Cruises Owner
Edie McKinlay Sylvan Lake Golf & Country Club General Manager
Diane Mullen Chateau Suites General Manager
Graham Parsons Sylvan Lake Summer Hockey Camp Owner
Jim Plakas Alberta Volleyball Association Program Director
Judy Samoisett Sylvan Lake Marina (Medican) Co-Manager
Tim Schmidt Town of Sylvan Lake Manager, Planning & Development
Gord Squire Alberta Provincial Arm Wrestling Championships Organizer
John Vandespyker IMG Canada General Manager
Cheryl Fisher Jazz at The Lake Festival Organizer
Other Contacts
Name Organization Title/ Area
Sid Niewenhuis Alberta Economic Development, Tourism
Manager, Tourism Research
Development Branch
Alberta Economic Development, Tourism Director, Tourism Business
Moe Rehemtulla
Development Branch Development and Investment
Alberta Community Development, Parks and
Grant Santo District Team Leader - Red Deer
Protected Areas
Alberta Community Development, Parks and Research and Assessment
Roy Finzel
Protected Areas Coordinator
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 34
Sylvan Lake, A Town For All Seasons Economic Impact of Tourism Study
Appendix C: Bibliography
Alberta Community Development, Alberta Recreation Survey 2004.
Alberta Community Development, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Camper Satisfaction Survey 2005.
Alberta Community Development, Parks and Protected Areas Division Visitation Statistics Provincial Parks &
Recreation Areas for the 2002/03 Fiscal Year.
Alberta Economic Development, Inventory of Major Alberta Investments and Regional Investments.
Alberta Economic Development, The Economic Impact of Visitors to Alberta’s Rocky Mountain National Parks in
1998.
Alberta Economic Development, Policy & Economic Analysis: Tourism in Central Alberta, A Summary of Visitor
Numbers, Revenue & Characteristics, 2004.
Alberta Finance, Alberta Economic Multipliers, 2001, May 2005.
Armin A. Preiksaitis & Associates Ltd., Town of Sylvan Lake Waterfront Area Redevelopment Plan, Prepared for The
Town of Sylvan Lake, May 24, 2006.
Bannister Research & Consulting, Alberta Leisure Travel Intentions Study (May 1, 2005 to October 31, 2005), Top-
line Report, Presented to Alberta Economic Development, May 10, 2005.
Central Albert Economic Partnership Ltd., Central Alberta - A Region of Opportunity, Regional Investment Profile.
Comperio Research, Trauma Tour, Sylvan Lake, Onsite Research Report, September 2006.
D.A. Watt Consulting, Town of Sylvan Lake 2005 Transportation Study, January 18, 2006.
Earth Tech (Canada) Inc., Sylvan Lake Parking Master Plan, March 2002.
Statistics Canada, Market Research Handbook, 2005 Edition, catalogue No. 63-224-XPB.
Tagish Engineering Ltd., 2004 Infrastructure Study for the Town of Sylvan Lake, January 2004.
TD Economics/TD Bank Financial Group, The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, Take Action Now To Ensure Tiger’s Roar
Doesn’t Fade, Special Report, April 22, 2003.
TD Economics/TD Bank Financial Group, An Update on the Economy of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor: More Action
Needed for the Tiger to Roar, Topic Paper, October 3, 2005.
The City of Red Deer, Red Deer County, Red Deer Chamber of Commerce, Red Deer Corridor Economic Profile.
Schollie Research & Consulting Page 35
