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From
the Publisher:
You know the signs. You know what it takes to rise to the
top of your game. And you can see those same characteristics in that young
person destined to become a future leader of commerce and the community in
Greater Edmonton. We call them Sizzling 20s—young people under the age of
30—who will be introduced again this year through the pages of Edmontonians
magazine by a top journalism student from Grant MacEwan’s School of
Communications. In addition, these rising stars will be feted by Lexus
of Edmonton at their glorious new store in west Edmonton and invited—this year
for the first time—to a day-long conference called “Work Hard, Play
Hard—produced by Silver Lining Ltd. Don’t miss this opportunity to nominate a young Edmontonian
who has impressed you. Twenty under 30 marks two aspects of our region’s youthful
vitality: young writers and young leaders. Send us your nomination today.
The Tourism Tiger
On
the hunt for economic prosperity.
by P. Drake McHugh
According to the latest tourism statistics released by Alberta Economic
Development, the City of Champions was the number one destination in overall
person-visits to Alberta and the number one destination in person-visits from
other provinces in 2004. They like us; they really like us. But, if you think
this surprising love affair has anything to do with being the City of Champions,
the experts say you would be wrong. Thereby hangs a cautionary tale. Always be
true to yourself and know who you are. The market demands it.
Edmonton is Canada’s furthest north “big” city and, believe
it or not, that appears to be a draw for tourists who are stunned and genuinely
jealous that in summer we can book off work at the regular time and still get in
18 holes of golf in daylight. Who knew?
Truth is, there are dozens of people from government, and
private enterprise working together in a jig-saw puzzle of cooperation that is
paying big dividends in a market once thought too remote to have much impact on
world tourism. No more. Edmonton has an increasing reputation as both an
international and a cosmopolitan city that is truly the gateway to fabled
wilderness adventures. Edmonton has come of age to the international crowd and
has been discovered by other Canadians.
Despite what the arts community refers to as ‘a slash and
burn’ philosophy by the provincial government, its former largess is now paying
big dividends. Travel Alberta’s website concentrates first on the dining, the
festivals and the arts. Only then does it promote the astonishing variety of the
north and the Rocky Mountains. Edmonton is now being considered a must-see city
in its own right. Increasingly, we are a top-ranked metropolitan destination. It
has not been easy to get to this point.
THE FACTS
Edmonton Tourism, a division of Edmonton Economic
Development Corp., is responsible for marketing Greater Edmonton as a preferred
destination for leisure travel, business travel and film production. In 2004, an
estimated 4.4 million guests visited the region, generating more than $1 billion
in visitor expenditures and employing over 23,000 people. Edmonton is in the big
time game of Snakes and Ladders that is tourist travel and market share.
Not surprisingly, we have a plan. Canada’s newest
conference venue, the $28.8 million Hall D at the Shaw Conference Centre is now
open to offer a 270-degree view of the North Saskatchewan River Valley. Easily
seating 1,000 diners, it will increase the Shaw’s annual economic impact by $43
million a year.
Edmonton staged the hugely successful World Masters Games
and the Champ Car Grand Prix of Edmonton in 2005. Such events are sure to boost
the statistics and help us maintain our number one position for another year or
more. Increasingly, we are being seen as an attractive venue for film makers
(see related story), but oddly what we are not being seen as is the ‘City of
Champions’.
Ken Fiske, EEDC vice-president of tourism, events and
motion pictures grins conspiratorially in his office in Edmonton’s World Trade
Centre. He is framed by the hugely attractive and popular Fairmont Hotel
MacDonald across Jasper Avenue. “I’m afraid, City of Champions is meaningless in
a world market,” he says almost apologetically. “You have to learn to market
what you have. If I am somewhere in the world where they aren’t sure who we are,
I will tell them three things. We are the home of West Edmonton Mall, Wayne
Gretzky used to play here and the Edmonton Oilers still do, and the Canadian
Rockies are very close. Almost everyone then knows who we are and they want to
talk. That’s when you tell them about Fort Edmonton Park and the river valley
and the wonderful festivals and events. Many people want to know how we’ve kept
Edmonton a secret for so long,” he laughs, “and you know after they visit they
go away with very positive things to say.”
Fiske has plans to draw Vancouver-bound Olympic tourists to
Edmonton. But, he’s not waiting for the Olympics. Edmonton has some stunningly
good sports venues, good trainers and world class facilities. He’s put the word
out to Olympic teams. If you want to train your athletes for Vancouver 2010,
there is no better place to do so than in Edmonton.
Some say Edmonton’s luck is a result of the economy while
others insist it is happenstance and stardust. Whatever the mix, it is moving us
onto a national and international stage.
Certainly, the fact that the world’s second largest
deposits of oil near Fort McMurray means that 300 million oil-addicted Americans
are suddenly paying more attention to Edmonton in a way they haven’t since the
opening of the Alaska Highway—most of which runs in Canada and was originally
built as a military road to ensure Alaska could be defended from a threatened
Japanese invasion. It has always been true that the Rocky Mountains are a
must-see destination, particularly for Europeans who have mountains but have
long since extirpated their large mammals. Evidently, there is something for
everyone in Alberta.
THEY LIKE US; THEY REALLY LIKE US
Generalities are odious, unfair and mostly inaccurate.
However, Germans, Swiss and Austrians are stunned by the wilderness experience
and by anything to do with native peoples. So the tourism industry makes sure
they get a bit of both and perhaps an overnight or more in Edmonton. We
generally get on well with the Americans, though most would prefer more igloos
and Mounties. And therein lies the problem. When does something become cliché?
Evidently, never in the tourism business.
The Japanese are more spiritual. Several direct flights
from Japan light up Edmonton Internat-ional’s runways during the short days of
winter. They are headed north. They have heard of the northern lights and they
have come to see for themselves and maybe do a little shopping and dining. But,
they, like everyone else, would not come to Canada without seeing the Rocky
Mountains. Japanese often only have a week and, remarkably, sometimes fit in the
Rocky Mountains, Alberta’s cities and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where
Anne of Green Gables is said to have lived. The Japanese are evidently crazy for
redheads, maple syrup and Canadian ice wine.
China will be a growing market and, no doubt, our
attractions will be the Rockies and Drumheller for the dinosaur tour before
heading off to Ontario to see the memorial to Canadian Dr. Norman Bethune, one
of China’s greatest heroes of the Long March. Somewhere in between, you can be
sure Edmonton will be pitching a day or two in the city to rest and relive
pioneer days. Edmontonians sometimes forget what a draw their history is. From
personal experience—and therefore not to count for much—you only had to see the
faces of thousands of competitors in the World Masters Games when a mounted
policeman took it upon himself to meet and greet. He is probably the most
photographed member of the RCMP in western Canada. The tourists had three
questions: “Are you a real Mountie? Where’s your horse? Can I have my picture
taken with you?” For many, it was the highlight of their visit to Canada.
So, if you know your market and you can leverage what you
do with others, success can be yours… maybe.
The world is a complex place. Certainly, Canadian Pacific
Railways which owned the Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise was successfully
marketing the Rockies to Europe in the late 1800s. And now, West Edmonton Mall
has over 30 years experience at selling an idea, a concept to a world hungry for
a new experience. The world’s largest mall… in Edmonton, you say?
Earlier this year, Alberta cowboys—real, not the drugstore
type—visited New York to let people know that while Brokeback Mountain had a
Wyoming setting, much of the film was actually shot with Alberta crews in
Alberta. So was Robin William’s just released RV. This summer Alberta will take
centre stage along America’s National Mall in Washington D.C. as the featured
region at the internationally renowned Smithsonian Folklife Festival from June
30th to July 11th, drawing one million visitors to the free 10- day event. Come
fall, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring Brad
Pitt, will be released. Most of the movie was filmed in the province, including
Fort Edmonton Park. Fiske did suggest to the New York media that they do the
math when Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s baby is born: There’s a good chance it was
conceived during their stay in the Greater Edmonton area. Edmonton and Alberta
may not yet be on the collective American mind, but it is not for lack of
trying.
NOT ALL ROSY
Canadians will soon be required to have a passport to visit
the United States. No problem, we are a peripatetic lot who love to travel and
many of us already have passports. Not so the Americans. Especially after 9-11,
they have been reticent to travel to foreign destinations. In fact, latest
transborder visits to Alberta continue to lag behind pre-9-11 numbers. This will
probably affect border cities in Canada more than Edmonton which is a little
north of convenient, one-day shopping trips in the United States. Canadians have
traditionally felt welcome anywhere in the world and with a stronger Canadian
dollar this year, Europe looks like a good deal, Mexico is calling and, in the
Far East, our money has always had long legs. America is re-thinking its place
in the world and, for many Americans, Canada is an unknown and possibly
unreliable destination. Have they not been reading the literature? We love these
guys. Oh sure, the Detroit Red Wings are a pain in the posterior, but everyone
else is pretty nice.
It may take the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton to tempt
the shy amongst them north of the border. The northwest of the United
States—California, Oregon, beautiful Washington and Montana—works hard to
convince their doubting cousins, we are foreign, safe and open for business.
They know us in a way eastern Canadians might not understand, and we return the
compliment. We have many interests in common. Just a note here: It is sometimes
difficult to tell Americans that, while we can be their worst critics, we do
feel we have a right to criticize family members. No harm intended, guys.
This is a good thing. As a former Prime Minister reminded
us, being Canadian (population 30 million) living next door to America
(population 300 million and the world’s last super power) is like a mouse in bed
with an elephant. “When the elephant turns over, you pay attention.” Alas, it is
not all Albertans remember of Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Nonetheless, after the
failed American attempt to invade Canada during the War of 1812, we’ve come to
pretty much understand. Our different destinies saw Canada go to the defence of
Europe in two world wars well before the danger had permeated the American mind.
We like to think we are masters of our own house, but there is something quite
likeable, even admirable, about our American cousins. Despite major thievery and
an ability to negotiate until they win over softwood lumber, two world wars and
the U.N. action in Korea, immigration and oil have made us fast friends.
The second problem may be gasoline. Nobody yet knows how
the price of gasoline will affect motorists. The Alaska Highway has always led
many Americans to the temptations of West Edmonton Mall. But will they continue
to travel? We are about to find out… the American world may be changing and the
media eye us suspiciously. Major Canadian media report the Edmonton experience
from Ottawa or Calgary. It may be that events have overcome this. Increasingly
the coverage is in New York and Washington, London and Beijing. Edmonton is
about to become a world player. What’s on the mid-term horizon?
BONJOUR
Frank Salnier with La Chambre Economique de l’Alberta is
charged with attracting francophones to Alberta, both from Europe and Quebec. He
bemoans the lack of direct flights from Europe to Edmonton. A survey of French
speaking tourists found that 50 percent had no idea Alberta had a French
speaking population. In the past three months, his staff has been fielding about
500 requests for information about Alberta. Many people want to come to stay. He
has some mild criticism for the city. “The city provides bilingual guides at
places like Fort Edmonton Park and Northlands… but then they fail to promote the
fact that you can tour in French. Many Quebecois speak English but it is
interesting for them to hear some of their mother tongue.” He estimates 60,000
Quebecois visit Alberta each year. He’s currently working on a plan for
businesses that are short of well educated professionals or trades people to
provide company services in French. “It is not very expensive,” he says, “and if
they need help, we are here to provide that service.”
 SHOPPING
NIRVANA
Over at the bustling West Edmonton Mall, General Manager
and COO Gary Hanson is gearing up for even more business. “We have the
international market here and we have the local market. Our research tells us
that both groups look for a uniqueness they cannot find elsewhere… we’re always
on the look out for new ideas and new stores.” He admits that, while West
Edmonton Mall is well experienced in drawing tourists to Edmonton, the mall
partners with other businesses and organizations. “It is such a big thing that
you can’t do it yourself and that Edmonton ‘can do’ attitude really does pay
dividends.”
Hanson is looking forward to the deepening of BC’s port of
Prince Rupert that would then allow huge amounts of freight to be transhipped
through Edmonton to the consumer hungry U.S. Commerce and tourism are flip sides
of the same card. “That port will be huge for Edmonton”, he says.
He is not worried about gasoline prices, “They will be what
they will be and everybody is in the same boat.” But passports for travel in
North America could be bad for business. “I’ve seen some reports that say 75 per
cent of Americans do not have passports, and this could hurt us but we’re out
there marketing and we know we really need direct flights to Europe. The North
American market is still strong for us… we have every license plate in America
except for Hawaii in our parking lot so, for the moment, that’s strong.”
Over at Travel Alberta, they are gearing up for tourists as
well. Mexicans (who love to shop) will be chartered into the city in yet another
experiment to boost tourism.
Derek Coke-Kerr with Travel Alberta is upbeat about
Alberta’s chances to slice a larger piece of the world tourism market and he
believes Edmonton could be a leader. “Edmonton has always been good at events,”
he says. “The Edmonton Grand Prix is a prime example. People in Edmonton don’t
ask whether they can do it, they just jump in and do it and that attitude is
paying dividends for the city. Edmonton has more overnight stays now than
Calgary and it is an increasingly cosmopolitan city and it has the mall and the
river valley.”
 He
knows what brings in the tourists. “In Canada, it is Niagara Falls and the Rocky
Mountains, just as in India it is the Taj Mahal and in Paris the Eiffel Tower.
You don’t want to fool with that. West Edmonton Mall is the focal point for
Edmonton. But, in Alberta, we have five* of the 13 World Heritage Sites in
Canada and that is a tremendous draw for us… as is the fact that we have some of
the best and earliest snow in the world.”
Alberta boasted 13 million person visits in 2004. Those
visitors left $2.3 billion in our pockets. We hosted some close neighbours too:
913 thousand Saskatchewan tourists left $231 million in the province during
2004, the last year for which statistics are available, and 1.3 million tourist
visits came from BC and left the province $373 million richer. Alberta would
appear to be a province for all tastes. Albertans like to travel too. Last year
they toured their home province and kept $42 million in the economy. Travel
Alberta is hoping to see that rise to $48 million this year.
Looks like Edmonton will be a gold medal winner long before
the Olympics come to Canada.
 $10 Million Pitt-stop in Edmonton
Lights,
Camera, Action!
by Barb
Deters
The economic impact? I would say $10 million in the Edmonton area… but that
doesn’t include meals and individual purchases that can’t be calculated,” beams
Patti Tucker, Edmonton film commissioner. She’s talking about the filming of
one-third of the The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert
Ford—henceforth referred to simply as The Assassination of J. J. with apologies
to Warner Bros.
Like many other sectors in Alberta, the province’s film
industry is booming. Throughout the past year, Alberta has been basking in the
glow of worldwide media attention brought to the province by hosting some of
Hollywood’s biggest celebs, and by earning film nominations and awards faster
than you can say, “Hank Williams First Nation” (filmed in Peace River, it
received a Genie nomination).
The bounty of this success means millions of dollars in
economic spin-offs, jobs for Albertans, rural econo-mic development and
incalculable benefits in tourism and investment attraction for the province.
Estimates of the economic spin off from last year’s film
projects run around $176 million, including taxes paid to the government. The
industry also provides work for roughly 3,000 Albertans.
When celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie hit town
their presence produces waves that ripple throughout the city. The ripple is so
great that people become star-gazing hyper. With Pitt here last fall filming The
Assassination of J. J. at historic Fort Edmonton Park, paparazzi from all over
the world swooped down on the city like birds in an Alfred Hitchcock movie—and
provided world coverage of events happening in Alberta.
 Publications
from every continent featured stories and photographs of Pitt and Jolie—in the
springtime of their romance—checking out the dinosaurs at Drumheller’s Royal
Tyrrell Museum, shopping at West Edmonton Mall and eating pie in Cochrane.
Alberta was also mentioned on a number of network TV stations such as Fox News,
CNN and ABC and in major magazines such as People and Time. That kind of
publicity is priceless.
Simon Hudson, author of Film Tourism: A Destination
Marketing Opportunity for Alberta, has studied the link between tourism and
film, “There is no doubt that film-viewing influences travel decisions.” In his
February 2005 report, he cited a survey in the U.K. which found that eight out
of 10 Britons get their holiday destination ideas from films, and one in five
will actually go to the location where their favourite movie was filmed.
A Taiwanese travel company is marketing trips to southern
Alberta, where the Oscar award-winning movie Brokeback Mountain was filmed.
Clint Dunford, the minister responsible for both the
Alberta Film Commission and Travel Alberta, expects the industry to grow. “The
commercial success of Alberta’s film and television projects has generated
significant interest in producing films in Alberta by both local and
international producers. ...Beautiful scenery, long days, and award-winning
crews make Alberta a popular filming location for produc-tions around the world,
the Alberta industry needs to be competitive with other jurisdictions that also
are bidding for the business.”
The industry has shown significant resurgence in recent
years by producing 53 motion pictures during the past three years. The number of
commerc-ials, documentaries, television and lifestyle projects also has been
growing. This resurgence is, in part, due to the financial incentives Alberta
uses to bring filmmakers through the door.
 This
is where the Alberta film development program comes in. It provides funding
assistance to film and television projects shot and produced in the province. On
April 1st, with funding increased by $1.4 million to nearly $15 for the new
fiscal year, the administration of program moved from the community development
to economic develop-ment family, and brought Alberta Film and Travel Alberta
under the ministry’s umbrella. The program is now managed by film funding
veteran Sandra Green. With the move, the department has adjusted film
development guidelines to ensure a return on investment for taxpayers. To date,
the investment has been sound with the province earning a return on its
investment of $1.20 for every dollar invested.
Although they are under the same roof, the Alberta film
development program and Alberta Film are distinct: The latter deals strictly
with funding issues, while the former is the marketing arm of the province’s
film business. Alberta Film promotes the province’s amazing locations, helps
filmmakers with location information and scouting, and acts as a liaison with
facilities, services, businesses and government.
Calgary and Edmonton also have their own regional film
commissioners. Tucker’s counterpart in Calgary is Beth Thompson. Both market
their respective regions as viable film locations and do their best to keep
crews working and the film industry’s infrastructure in place. Calgary’s
proximity to the Rocky Mountains and the foothills give that city and its
production companies an edge over the Capital Region.
But Tucker is up for the challenge. She has just returned
from a locations’ fair in Los Angeles where she pitched the city to producers,
“Edmonton is poised for tremendous growth,” she says, “with the changes to the
development program and the recent success of several productions, Edmonton has
become a preferred destination for filming.” Late April saw the arrival of three
location scouts to check what all we have to offer.
“A good experience is our best salesman. Early publicity
and the antics of the paparazzi [during the filming of The Assassination of J.
J.] have already created a buzz about Edmonton and the Park… Did you know Fort
Edmonton is the largest reconstructed historical site in Canada? One of the crew
said it ‘could have been designed by a cinematographer’ because of the wide
streets and ample spaces between buildings that easily accommodate lots of
equipment and booms.”
Tucker is understandably enthusiastic about Fort Edmonton
as a unique film location. Her greatest coup was delivering the “blue cut”—a
cleared area rising up from the tracks. The site crew had scoured North America
for such a spot that would be where Jesse and the boys would swoop down to rob
the train. No luck. By chance, Tucker noticed a clearing just above the tracks
in the southwest quadrant of the Park. It was ideal.
“The producers were thrilled to have the town, the 1895
streetscape, the train and the blue cut at a single site—that doesn’t happen
often,” according to Tucker.
Many of the logistics were stick-handled by Dawn Linman,
group sales coordinator at Fort Edmonton, who served as on-site liaison for
filming and described by Tucker as an “unsung hero.” Linman is quick to point
out the legacy of the shoot, particularly the first class rail car which was
completely retrofitted with top-of-the-line period décor. As well, Warner Bros.
covered any lost revenues the park suffered during shut down for filming, and
the cost of restoring and re-signing buildings.
The Assassination of J. J. is scheduled for release in
October. Whether it achieves the acclaim experienced by Brokeback Mountain is a
question mark. In the interim, Brad and Angelina—accompanied by her two adopted
children, now Jolie-Pitts—have moved to Namibia to await the birth of their
child. Should it come to pass that the child was conceived during the Fort
Edmonton segment of the filming, Greater Edmonton will no doubt have to endure
more publicity. Oh well…
Hey, we capitalize where and when we can—it’s good for
business.
Lights… camera… action!
In the past 10 years, Greater Edmonton’s credits as a
location for films include:
1 The Assassination of Jesse James—Warner Bros.,
2005
2 For the Love of a Child—Lifetime, 2005
3 The Christmas Blessing—CBS Television, 2005
4 Waking Walter (Accent Entertainment) 2005
5 12 Days of Christmas Eve—USA Network, 2004
6 Selling Innocence—ImaGination Productions, 2004
7 Santa’s Slay—RATT Entertainment, 2004
8 Intern Academy—Minds Eye Pictures, 2004
9 100 Days in the Jungle—ImaGination Productions,
2003
10 Ginger Snaps-Prequel and Sequel—49th Parallel,
2003
11 Mentors—Family Channel, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
12 War Bride—Random Harvest Picture/DB
Entertainment, 2000
13 The Edge—20th Century Fox, 1999
14 Snow Day—Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies,
1999
15 Jake and the Kid—Nelvana, 1996 - 1997
 Alberta at the Smithsonian
If
you've got it....
If you’ve got it, flaunt it. That’s kind of always been the mantra of Alberta. Now more
than ever, we’ve got it. Wealth, energy, stunning scenery, a well-educated
populace, talented entertainers, world-class chefs, great food, renowned beef, a
rich heritage, spunk.
And, we’ve got a man in Washington, DC, who knows how to
capitalize on opportunity. When the federal government declined an invitation to
be the featured region at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, a Canadian Embassy
rep asked Murray Smith if Alberta would be interested. Dah, you think?
To put it in perspective, there are a few things you have
to understand. First, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival is billed as the “top
event in the U.S.” In its 40-year history, it has showcased more than 100
nations and regions. It attracts more than one million visitors annually to the
free, 10-day outdoor event. It is staged along a five block area on America’s
National Mall, surrounded by the U.S. Capital, the Washington Mall and the
Smithsonian national museum. It is expected that international media coverage
will reach another audience of 50 million.
Secondly, no province has ever been featured at the
Festival. This is an unprecedented opportunity for Alberta to display its
diversity, beauty and opportunities to an international audience. More than 150
Alberta musicians, storytellers, cooks, craftspeople, occupational specialists
and cultural experts will celebrate our unique culture. From June 30th to July
11th, events will highlight our indigenous traditions, rich pioneer and
immigrant heritage and our thriving contemporary culture. Concerts and theatre
performances will be held at venues throughout Washington, including the Kennedy
Centre and the Canadian Embassy: The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra will perform,
and three Edmonton Fringe plays will be presented at Washington’s new Capital
Fringe Festival (July 20th to 30th).
But Alberta at the Smithsonian isn’t all fun and
entertainment—there’s a more serious side in the days preceding the Festival.
Alberta Week in Washington will target congressional representatives, senators,
cabinet members, trade reps, U.S. industries, media and think-tanks. A series of
sector-specific economic forums will highlight information and communications
technology; Alberta’s potential as a safe and secure supplier of energy; and
agricultural interdependence. On June 28th, the City of Edmonton will co-sponsor
a gala celebration for 700 guests at the National Building Museum. The
Universities of Alberta, Calgary, Athabasca and Lethbridge, together with the
Alberta College of Art and the Banff Centre, will host an advanced education
reception to highlight collaborative programs. A legacy relationship will be
established to connect Alberta teachers and students with Smithsonian staff and
resources.
The Smithsonian and the Government of Alberta are the
primary funders of the $3.8 million project. Opportunities for private
partnerships supporting aspects of the festival and associated events will help
offset some of the costs. To date, sponsors include Enbridge, the Regional
Issues Working Group (a consortium of oilsands players), Finning, CanolaInfo,
City Lumber, Alberta Beef Producers, and the Cities of Edmonton and Calgary. Any
companies interested in partnering should contact Drew Hutton, director of
corporate promotions for the Smithsonian project, at 422-1647 or e-mail drew.
hutton@gov.ab.ca
And if you had any doubts that Alberta would leave a
lasting impression on folks in the U.S. capital, picture this: A mammoth dump
truck with 12-foot tires—just like the ones used in Alberta’s oilsands—parked on
the National Mall. How about that, eh?
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