Agency calls 'All aboard!' for visitor economy

Explore Edmonton is betting on a new attractions bundle and a trolley-style bus to entice visitors to spend more time and money in the city before they head home, into the Rockies, or elsewhere. "The Discover Edmonton Pass and the Edmonton Explorer experience is really about turning a visit into a longer stay," CEO Traci Bednard said during a June 10 launch event. "When we have people here at our conferences … how do we encourage them to spend additional time, to bring their family and friends? That's what these programs do." In a press release, Explore Edmonton noted the new initiatives could help conference planners attract more visitors by making it convenient to take in the sights.

Key to that is the Edmonton Explorer, a hop-on, hop-off bus designed to look like a 1920s trolley by Molly Trolley. The Jasper-based SunDog Tour Co. operates two routes covering 20 destinations in the city, including attractions such as the High Level Bridge Streetcar and West Edmonton Mall, general hotspots downtown and in Old Strathcona, and hotels. There is a western loop and a central loop, and they intertwine at some spots so riders can hop between them. Part of the idea is to experience more of Edmonton by getting visitors to city highlights with ease; the two routes are timed to allow riders to explore, dine, or shop between boardings. The Explorer, which is partly funded by Travel Alberta, hits the road on June 15 and runs until about Thanksgiving, with tickets starting at $48.

As for the Discover Edmonton Pass, it's essentially a city pass that packages admission to attractions. It encompasses stops on the Explorer route such as the Alberta Aviation Museum, the Edmonton Riverboat, the Edmonton Valley Zoo, Fort Edmonton Park, the Muttart Conservatory, TELUS World of Science - Edmonton, and services by River Valley Adventure Co. Bundles start at $69 for two attractions. Taproot will have more on the new tourism initiatives on the June 12 episode of Speaking Municipally.