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Calgary Stampede attendance numbers are expected to break records through 2024, and the influx of visitors is boosting business and tourism across the city.
The Stampede has welcomed more than 1.17 million visitors to the park as of Friday, which is not far off its all-time high of 1.4 million visitors in 2012.
Tourism Calgary says the increase in visitors during the Stampede is expected to bring about $280 million to the city, impacting industries far beyond the rodeo.
"Support the livelihoods of 84,000 people that make their living in the tourism economy here in Calgary," said Alisha Reynolds, CEO of Tourism Calgary.
"There's a level of enthusiasm and support for small businesses across the city.
One of those businesses is The Office, whose owner Jeff Hanna says tourists have been "all day, every day" and that he hasn't seen this many tourists in his entire career.
"I've been doing this in Calgary for many years and I could say this might be the best year I've ever seen in my life," he told CityNews.
"The spirit of the people, the traffic, the amount of tourists I saw in the city and meeting people from all over the world who are just in love with our city... it was incredible."
https://calgary.citynews.ca/2024/07/13/calgary-stampede-boost-local-businesses/
But even with the Stampede continuing for another year, businesses hope to continue building on that momentum.
Reynolds says there will be 100 more festivals in the city over the rest of the summer season, which is expected to keep Calgary's tourism boom going.
Edited;
Bosman
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