The Alberta NDP is trying to encourage more Albertans to travel within the province.
The party caucus is calling for the introduction of an Alberta Travel Pass tourism voucher to encourage Albertans to vacation in the province’s mountains and parks this summer.
Under the Alberta Travel Pass, families who vacation within the province this summer would be eligible for a one-time rebate of 20 per cent of their travel costs up to $1,000 – for expenses such as accommodation, food and drinks, activities like museums and recreation, and petty expenses such as rentals or parking.
“In Alberta, the landscape is part of who we are: we are campers, hikers, mountain bikers and more. We are weekend warriors to the very core,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley.
“The Rockies are the ultimate staycation and the Alberta Travel Pass will encourage more families to spend their summer here, experiencing our beautiful parks, supporting local businesses and helping grow our economy.”
It is estimated the program would cost approximately $30 million.
Before COVID-19, Albertans spent about $7 billion dollars per year on travel outside of Alberta.
Ontario and New Brunswick have similar programs. Residents there are eligible for up to 20 per cent of their vacation expenses back in rebates or tax credits.