Tourism Development in Banff National Park

Estudios de América del Norte
Revista Electrónica Semestral de la Maestría en Estudios de Estados Unidos y Canadá
Facultad de Historia de la Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa
Volumen I, Número 2, Abril del 2000. Culiacán, Sin. México
http://www.uasnet.mx/historia/US.CAN/rev/Dos/

Tourism Development in Banff National Park

Tom Hinch
Professor in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canadá
E-mail: tom.hinch@ualberta.ca

Abstract

Banff National Park is one of Canada’s premier tourism destinations. Its majestic mountains and exotic wildlife draw tourists from all parts of the world. In many ways, Banff is a symbol of Canada’s identity. Images of the park feature strongly in Canada’s tourism promotions and they feature strongly in the way that Canadians view their country. This paper examines the tension between economic and environmental interests in Banff National Park. Ashworth and Dietvorst’s (1995) model of tourism transformation is used as a framework to highlight the change that tourism has brought to the area. The roles of the producers (public and private) along with those of the consumers (visitors) in this transformation process are examined. Much of the data for this paper has been extracted from the recently completed Banff-Bow Valley Study (BBVS 1996a). The paper concludes with a description of strategies that have been implemented to ensure that these transformations do not destroy the environmental integrity of the Park.

Resumen

El Parque Nacional Banff es uno de los primeros destinos del turismo de Canadá. Su majestuosas montañas y fauna exótica impresionan a turistas de todo partes del mundo. En muchas maneras, el Banff es un símbolo de la identidad de Canadá. Las Imágenes del parque se presentan bastante en las promociones del turismo de Canadá y en la manera que los canadienses ven su país. Este escrito examina la tensión entre los intereses económicos y medioambientales en torno al Parque Nacional Banff. Los autores Ashworth y Dietvorst (1995) son usados como marco de referencia con su modelo de transformación del turismo, destacando el cambio que dicho turismo le ha traído al área. Se examinan los papeles de los productores (público y privado) junto con los consumidores (visitantes) en esta transformación. Muchos de los datos para este documento se han extraído del reciente trabajo Banff-Bow Valley Study (BBVS 1996a). El escrito concluye con una descripción de las estrategias que se han llevado a cabo para asegurar que tales transformaciones no destruyen la integridad medioambiental del Parque.

Acknowledgements

The input of University of Alberta students Jinyang Deng, Gregg Danderfer, Kevin Siebert, Tanis Mosentine and Michelle Rickwood-Kraeling during our seminar discussions on this topic are gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

Tourism is characterized by an assortment of benefits and costs. Typically these impacts are considered within the realms of economics, natural ecosystems, and socio-cultural communities. If tourism is to be sustainable it is widely agreed that, 1) its net benefits must be positive, 2) the distribution of these benefits and costs must be appropriate, and 3) the integrity of the tourism resource must be protected. While few tourism stakeholders would dispute the theoretical logic of this claim, there is considerable debate as to how to achieve sustainable tourism in practice. Tourism in Canada’s national parks provides a classic illustration of the challenge of sustainability.

Banff National Park is not only one of Canada’s tourism icons, it is also fundamental to the identity of Canadians. The relationship between economic development through tourism and the protection of the natural resources in the park has been frequently debated and serves as the focus for this paper. More specifically, the purpose of this paper is to examine the tension between tourism development and ecological protection in Banff National Park by using a tourism transformation model as a framework. This discussion will be organized into: 1) an explanation of the tourism transformation model, 2) an overview of the tourism resource base at Banff National Park, 3) a summary of tourism activity in the park, 4) a discussion of park transformations attributable to tourism producers, 5) a discussion of park transformations attributable to tourism consumers, and finally 6) highlights of the strategies recently implemented in the park to manage the nature of these transformations.

The tension between development and resource integrity is not new in Banff National Park but it has certainly varied in nature and intensity throughout its history. Tourism was very clearly the primary mandate of Banff at the time of its inception. The mutual interests of the Prime Minister of the day, Sir John A. Macdonald and the General Manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), William Van Horne to ensure the success of Canada’s first trans-continental railway explain this mandate. These two power brokers were convinced that the establishment of a National Park in Banff, and its development as a Canadian version of a Swiss alpine resort, would contribute to the economic success of the railway and therefore to the Prime Minister’s "national dream" for Canada. More specifically, "a park reserve would provide [the CPR with] development control and monopoly" (Bella, 1987: 10). This would enable the CPR to ensure the high quality of development that they envisioned and ensure that they received a major share of the direct benefits. Clearly, at this point, preservation of the natural resource was a supporting but secondary objective to revenue generation through tourism.

By 1930, the Canadian National Parks Act included the important statement that parks were to be "protected unimpaired for…future generations." This change provided explicit evidence of the increased importance of environmental protection within the parks while maintaining the importance of recreation and tourism (Dearden, in press). By 1988, however, amendments to the National Parks Act clearly highlighted the protection of ecological integrity as the primary mandate of Parks Canada (BBVS 1996a). Despite this revsion, tourism development continued in Banff National Park and the tension between tourism and the ecological integrity of the park continued to grow.

Tourism Transformation Model

Tourism transforms resources. When humans are introduced to an ecosystem, even as temporary visitor, they have an impact on it. Ashworth and Dietvorst (1995) proposed a model of tourism transformation that has been modified for this paper. At the base of the model are tourism-recreation resources. These resources are the source of a place’s inherent attraction. Like other resources, those associated with tourism are subjectively defined from a human perspective. Ashworth and Dietvorst describe them as elements used in the creation of a tourism-recreation product. The economic value of these resources is determined by their scarcity. The model also suggests that these resources and the landscape in which they exist are in a constant state of change and that tourism itself is one of the agents for change.

At the top of this model is the tourist activity or experience. In a sense, this can be viewed as an output of the process being modeled. The visitors’ experience will depend on the commodification or processing of the resource. Ashworth and Dievorst (1995) argue that there are two paths between the tourism-recreation resource and the visitor experience, one focused on the producer and the other focused on the consumer. In both cases there will be transformations that not only process resources to create tourist experiences but also impact the tourist-recreation resource through a reciprocal process. Producer and consumer transformations can be of a material nature or of a more symbolic one (e.g., destination image).

This transformation model has two fundamental implications. The first is that change is inevitable. If tourists are visiting a place, that place will be impacted. The second implication is that intervention in the tourism transformation process can influence resource impacts. Managers can theoretically influence the pace, scale, distribution and nature of this change. The balance of this paper will highlight the nature of tourism transformation in Banff and describe strategies that have recently been initiated to control these transformations.

Banff’s Tourism-Recreation Resource Base

Banff National Park was established in 1885 and was one of the first National Parks in North America. It is situated in the Rocky Mountains in south western Alberta along the provincial border with British Columbia. The natural landscapes and vistas of the Rocky Mountains, together with the wildlife, clean air and water serve as the central attractions for Canadians and international visitors (BBVS 1996a). While the magnificent mountain scenery is perhaps the primary tourist attraction, most visitors to the park are satisfied viewing these peaks from a distance. They actually spend the majority of their time in the Banff-Bow Valley corridor which encompasses a rare montane ecosystem that serves as prime habitat to a wide range of wildlife including grizzly and black bears, elk, wolves, mountain goats, mountain sheep and many other species. The valley is especially important for this wildlife in the winter when weather conditions at the higher elevations force these animals to migrate to the valley bottom. The unique importance of this ecosystem is highlighted by the fact that Banff, in conjunction with adjacent parks, was designated as a World Heritage Site under the auspices of the United Nations in 1983.

Tourism Activity in the Park

Approximately 5 million people visit Banff on an annual basis and several million more pass through on the Trans-Canada Highway that cuts through the Park. Richie (1999a: 101) has reported that to accommodate these visitors, "there are more than 5,600 hotel rooms, 60 restaurants, and 175 specialty shops. In all, more than 1,300 businesses are licensed to operate in the park." Other manifestations of human development within the park include the 4 lane Trans-Canada highway, the Canadian Pacific Railway, a 27 hole golf course, three ski resorts, the village of Lake Louise and the town of Banff (population 7,600). All of this infrastructure is contained within the same 4-kilometer wide valley that harbours the wildlife highlighted earlier. It is not surprising therefore that the tensions between tourism development and natural ecosystem integrity have emerged.

During its initial years, Banff National Park averaged about 5,000 visitors a year but this surged to 30,000 in 1905. The change brought about by the introduction of the automobile and road access resulted in approximately 500,000 visitors by 1950. Since that time there has been an annual increase of about 5.46% (BBVS 1996a: 42). In 1995 it was estimated that 5 million people visited the park. If this growth rate of 5.46% is maintained, by the year 2020 the annual visitation will be 19.1 million (Cronwell & Costanza 1996). Even with a more conservative growth rate of 3.0 %, it is projected that visitation to Banff would more than double by 2020. In terms of the origin of these visitors, a 1991 study of out-of-province visitors to Banff showed that 82% of these came from other parts of Canada, 10% came from the United States and the balance were from other parts of the world.

Transformation by Producers

Ever since the inception of the park, Banff has been undergoing producer led transformations. Both the public and the private sectors have played important roles in this process. In the context of the public sector, the federal government has been the most dominant player, given its jurisdiction over the planning and management of national parks. It is the federal government, which has changed the park mandate from an emphasis on tourism to one of environmental integrity. Other levels of government are also important with the provincial government having taken an active role in the marketing of Banff as a tourist destination. The fact that the Town of Banff was administered by the federal government until 1990 has, however, limited the influence of local government throughout much of the park’s history. Since being granted municipal status, local residents have a more direct say in the transformation of this area.

In the context of the private sector, the major player has been the Canadian Pacific Railway and later, Canadian Pacific Hotels with their on-going activities in the park. While they still dominate business interests in Banff, they do not hold a monopoly. Other private businesses were active in the park at its inception including those run by Dr. Brett who capitalized on the hot springs by opening a sanitarium which one old timer described as "part hotel, part hospital, part pool room and part bar" (Bella 1987: 15). Today over 1,300 licensed businesses operate in the park but while the cumulative impact of these businesses is significant, Canadian Pacific Hotels remains the dominant player. Not-for-profit environmental groups have also emerged from the private sector. These groups have lobbied hard for the protection of the environmental integrity within the park.

Tourism producers have transformed Banff’s resources in a number of ways. One of the best examples of this transformation is the Banff Springs Hotel (Sandford 1994). As part of their strategy to promote tourism, the Canadian Pacific Railway set out to construct a series of fine hotels along their rail line. In 1888 the first Banff Springs Hotel was built on its present site to capitalize on the mountain scenery and nearby hot springs. A dramatic chateau architectural style, ambitious advertising, elegant décor and excellent service all combined to give the hotel an immediate reputation as a world class resort. This reputation was enhanced by introducing Swiss mountain guides and by various redevelopments that continue to this day. By the 1980s the hotel contained well over 1,000 rooms and was recognized as an attraction in its own right.

The growth of the Banff Springs Hotel was mirrored in many other properties throughout Banff, albeit at smaller scales. As tourism infrastructure has grown, so has the permanent population of Banff. There was no permanent population in the area prior to the arrival of the railway but by 1900 there were 271 residents, in 1950 there were 2,357 residents and there are about 7,600 residents today. If the population were to grow at the same rate in the next century as it did in this century, Banff would have a population of around 175,000 by the year 2190 (Sandford 1994). Despite the clarification as to the park’s ecological mandate, the last twenty years have been one of the most prolific periods of development in Banff.

Banff town site takes up more than three-quarters of the largest block of montane habitat in the park. Between 1985 and 1992, building permits worth over $360 million were issued in Banff. Shopping space almost doubled between 1986 and 1994. Banff has three times the amount of shopping space per person as exists in the largest city in Canada, Toronto!

Dearden, in press

This image of Banff is also being transformed. The natural resources remain at the forefront of tourism promotions but there appears to have been a growing emphasis on recreation activities and resort-type services that do not have a direct a relationship to the natural resources found in the park. For example, downhill skiing is heavily promoted as an activity within the park. The world class snow conditions, slopes and scenery in the park all contribute to the high quality experience associated with this activity. In addition, however, apres-ski activities related to dining and nightclubs also feature strongly in these promotions. While consistent with the demands of many skiers, this type of image is somewhat removed from the natural resource features of the park.

Transformation by Consumers

The other major source of tourism transformations are those directly attributable to the visitors. Clearly, as the numbers of visitors increase, problems such as visitor induced trail erosion and waste management will require more attention. However, one of the most tangible examples of visitor impacts in Banff involves the conflict between people and wildlife. Recently, aggressive encounters between humans and elk have become a problem in Banff, especially in the town site (BBVS 1996a). The number of elk found in the town site has increased due to the availability of predator-free grazing. Visitors often assume that these large animals are tame and approach elk to take photographs. Despite their presence in an urban area, elk are wild animals and will attack if they feel threatened. Records indicate that these attacks have increased from 3 in 1987 to 75 in 1991. The problem has been exacerbated by the increase in tourism visitation during the spring and fall "shoulder seasons" which coincide with spring calving and the fall rut or mating season. The habituation of elk to humans is a significant transformation, which is having impacts on visitors and the elk population. Similar conflicts and impacts have occurred with other species such as the grizzly and black bear populations.

The image of Banff National Park is also in the process of transformation. While part of this image is influenced by the marketing efforts of the producers discussed earlier, visitors also arrive in Banff with preconceived images of area. In the case of Canadians, Banff has been an important element of their national identity ever since Sir John A. Macdonald’s "national dream." It features prominently in Canadian art such as the

canvases of the Group of Seven; whose members produced some of Canada’s most widely respected paintings. In a recent survey of 3,719 Canadians (Angus Reid 1993), 94% of all respondents recognized Banff as part of our national park system. Respondents also indicated that the national park system was an important part of the country’s heritage and that the national parks system should function firstly as a steward of natural resources and secondly as a promoter of recreational opportunities. The growing environmental value of the parks as expressed by Canadians is consistent with global trends in this area.

Managins Tourism Transformations in Banff National Park

The federal government of Canada sponsored a major study of the relationship between tourism and the ecological integrity of the Banff-Bow Valley corridor that was completed in 1996 (BBVS 1996a, Ritchie 1999a). After extensive research and public input, the task force heading up the study concluded that "current rates of growth in visitor numbers and development, if allowed to continue, will cause serious, and irreversible harm to Banff National Park’s ecological integrity" (BBVS 1996b: 14). Yet the fundamental importance of tourism was also recognized and the study suggested that with creative management, limited further growth is possible without destroying the ecology of the park. Over 500 recommendations were included in the final report (see BBVSa 1996) but for the purpose of this paper, three key strategic themes will be highlighted.

The first strategic theme was the development of a value-driven vision for the park (Ritchie 1999b). An extensive process was used to ensure that all of the numerous stakeholders were involved. The resulting core vision that was produced stated that:

The Bow Valley in Banff National Park reveals the majesty and wildness of the Rocky Mountains. It is a symbol of Canada, a place of great beauty, where nature is able to flourish and evolve. People from around the world participate in the life of the valley, finding inspiration, enjoyment, livelihoods and understanding. Through their wisdom and foresight in protecting this small part of the planet, Canadians demonstrate leadership in forging healthy relationships between people and nature. The Banff-Bow Valley is above all else, a place of wonder, where the richness of life is respected and celebrated.

Ritchie 1999b: 277

Six key themes from this statement were then expanded upon to add clarity. From a management perspective, the major advantages of this vision are two fold. First, it provides a reference point from which to plan and manage the park. Secondly, and just as importantly, by involving all of the stakeholders in the process, universal ownership is established. As a result, tourism operators, environmental groups and governments share the same fundamental reference point as they determine the future of the park.

Despite this consensus on vision, it would be naive to think that all of these stakeholders would necessarily choose compatible strategies in their pursuit of this vision. As a second major thematic area, the task force therefore recommended a series of development controls and the federal government has begun to act on many of the key recommendations. These recommendations were meant to maintain and/or restore the ecological integrity of the region. Examples include the prohibition of further expansion of Banff’s town boundaries and the capping of accommodation development. While many of these recommendations have been contentious, especially within the business community, those that have been implemented provide a clear operating framework for existing businesses and potential developers within the park.

The third major thematic area involves cooperative initiatives that recognize the importance of tourism within the park. In keeping with the vision statement, the starting point for these tourism initiatives is nature-based tourism. To this end, the task force recommended a "touchstone/heritage tourism destination model". This model has since been implemented as the Banff-Bow Valley Heritage Tourism Strategy in which tourism operators actively foster "local and visitor appreciation and stewardship of the nature, history and culture of Banff National Park, the town of Banff, the village of Lake Louise and surrounding areas" (Parks Canada, 1999). In a similar vain, a "Banff Best" hospitality program has been developed to educate hospitality workers, many of whom are relatively temporary residents, about the heritage of this area. This program fosters a sense-of-place that is based on the natural heritage of the park. Finally, the creation of a new visitor centre that houses information services associated with the major stakeholders in the park is a tangible example of this new approach to tourism. The centre includes Parks Canada information services about the park in general, Banff-Lake Louise Tourism Bureau visitor services representing commercial interests in the area, and the Friends of Banff environmental group retail and information outlet.

Conclusion

The process of transformation associated with tourism in Banff National Park will continue but the strategies being adopted promise to steer these transformations toward a sustainable industry and a sustainable ecosystem. However, the dynamic character of tourism and of natural ecosystems must be appreciated. Strategies designed to ensure sustainability must also be dynamic. Challenges that are likely to emerge during this search for sustainability include increased development pressure in areas surrounding the park, rising accommodation prices resulting from restrictions on supply combined with growing demand, and a dramatic increase in the number of day visitors. Nevertheless, these challenges should not overshadow the tremendous advances that have been made toward sustainable tourism in Banff National Park. In acting to protect the ecological integrity of the park, the competitive position of the tourism industry in Banff has been strengthened. Banff is likely to remain a valued tourism destination for many years to come.

List of References

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Bella, L. (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House Ltd.

Cornwell, L. & Costanza, R. (1996). A futures outlook of the Banff-Bow Valley: A Modelling Approach to Ecological, Economic and Social Issues. In Chapter 10: Green, J.C. Pacas, S. Bayley and L. Cornwell (eds.), Ecological Outlook Project: A Cumulative Effects Assessment and Futures Outlook of the Banff-Bow Valley. Prepared for the Banff-Bow Valley Study, Ottawa: Department of Canadian Heritage.

Dearden, P. (in press). Tourism, national parks and resource conflicts. In R. W. Butler & S. W. Boyd (Eds.). Tourism and National Parks: Issues and Implications. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons.

Parks Canada (1999). Banff-Bow Valley Heritage Tourism Strategy. Information sheets. Banff: Banff National Park Administration.

Ritchie, J.R. Brent, (1999a). Policy formulation at the tourism/environment interface: Insights and recommendations from the Banff-Bow Valley Study. Journal of Travel Research. 38: 100-110.

Ritchie, J.R. Brent, (1999b). Crafting a value-driven vision for a national tourism treasure. Tourism Management, 20: 273 – 282.

Sandford, B. (1994) The Book of Banff. Banff, Alberta: Friends of Banff National Park

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