Launch Day
Welcome to The Visitor Economy: Helping Destinations Grow, Connect, and Reach Their Potential
Every community has a story.
Some are shaped by unique attractions, others by festivals, restaurants, hotels, museums, parks, sporting events, Indigenous experiences, local businesses, and the people who welcome visitors every day.
Together, they create something much bigger than tourism. They create the visitor economy.
Today, I am proud to introduce The Visitor Economy — a destination development and tourism advisory organization dedicated to helping communities, businesses, and industry leaders understand how successful destinations are built, strengthened, and grown.
This isn’t simply about promoting places. It is about understanding what makes destinations thrive - helping leaders identify opportunities, create stronger experiences, develop partnerships, attract investment, and build communities where visitors want to come and residents are proud to live.
Why This Matters
For too long, tourism has been viewed primarily through the lens of marketing. But marketing is only one part of the journey.
Successful destinations are built through vision, collaboration, investment, leadership, infrastructure, transportation, workforce development, authentic experiences, strong businesses, and strategic decision-making. When these elements come together, communities don't just attract visitors — they create economic opportunities, support local businesses, generate jobs, encourage investment, and strengthen community pride. That's the power of the visitor economy.
Helping Turn Ideas Into Action
After more than 30 years working in media, communications, destination development, and tourism leadership, I've had the opportunity to work alongside municipalities, destination organizations, tourism operators, entrepreneurs, government partners, and industry leaders across Alberta and beyond.
Throughout that journey, one thing has become clear: every destination has potential. Sometimes the opportunity already exists — it just needs to be recognized, developed, connected, and shared.
The Visitor Economy was created to help organizations explore those opportunities and turn ideas into action. Through insights, consultation, storytelling, and industry conversations, we'll examine the challenges facing destinations today and explore the ideas shaping the future of tourism.
Members of the MacEwan University Tourism Program Advisory Group
What You Can Expect
Our coverage will include destination development and strategy, tourism leadership and governance, economic development, community and municipal initiatives, Indigenous tourism, attractions and visitor experiences, events, festivals, and sports tourism, hotels, restaurants, and hospitality, transportation and accessibility, workforce and tourism careers, industry trends and research, marketing and storytelling, interviews with industry leaders, commentary and opinion, and practical ideas communities can apply immediately.
Whether you're a destination marketing organization, municipality, attraction, tourism operator, economic developer, elected official, student, or simply passionate about your community — this publication is for you.
You can see the full range of how we work directly with clients on our [Services page].
Building Stronger Destinations Together
The future of tourism won't be built by one organization, one community, or one idea. It will be built through collaboration.
The Visitor Economy is creating a network of people who believe tourism is more than attracting visitors. It's about creating meaningful experiences. It's about supporting businesses. It's about strengthening communities. It's about building destinations where memories are made and economies grow.
Over the coming months, The Visitor Economy will share insights, conversations, resources, and opportunities designed to help communities and businesses navigate the future of tourism.
The goal is simple: to help destinations discover their potential, develop their opportunities, and create experiences that inspire visitors and benefit communities.
Thank you for being part of the beginning. The journey starts now.
— Rene Rondeau, Founder of The Visitor Economy
