SASKATOON -- Prince Albert’s Visitor Centre is closed for the summer.
Management of tourism for the city of Prince Albert was turned over to the Prince Albert Regional Economic Development Alliance (PREDA) in early 2020. PREDA’s CEO, Ashley Charles, said the decision to close the centre was made in May by the board and CEO.
“It’s because there was so much uncertainly with COVID that we didn’t know when things were going to lighten up. And even right into the tourism season which began the beginning of May and it continued right until June when they are started reopen Saskatchewan,” said Charles.
She said the transition of tourism to PREDA has left them with a lot of administrative duties and management to reassign.
“We have to assess what we have and where we are going to go moving forward,” said Charles.
The manager and curator of the Prince Albert Historical Society said the closure of tourism came at a bad time. They’ve missed the referrals and foot traffic around the visitor centre.
“For the education museum and the police and corrections museum, tourism being closed has had a definite effect on visitation.”
The pandemic has had a huge impact on visitation said Taylor, “It’s is very, very low, in July we had 400 people which is about 7 or percent of what we had in 2019.
Staff at the city’s four museums have counted every person who’s come through the doors since July 10.
Local artist Gail Carlson said she won’t have any income from the visitor’s centre’s gift shop in 2020. And is also disappointed the visitor centre is closed because it did a lot to promote people to stop and tour around the city.
“They’d tell people where the galleries are, where the art is, where the music is,” said Carlson. “It really promoted Prince Albert and area when it was open but this year with it being closed, that doesn’t happen.”
Charles says they have plans to redesign the interior and gift shop at the centre and they are making a strategic plan of where tourism is going within PREDA in the next three to five years.
“The important message that needs to be addressed is just because the tourism centre is not open we are still planning. Whether it’s later this fall or winter, that’s an option. We will for sure be open next year for the tourism season then.”
Charles said the idea behind PREDA is that together there is a better chance of creating a strong local economy,
“If it’s done more grassroots and driven from a number of different leadership capacities it will do well.”
