How the bad economy and good weather could boost Canmore businesses

Canmore is preparing for another good year.

With strong tourism numbers last year, some businesses are already seeing promising signs for 2016.

"The weather has been awesome and people are coming out and taking advantage of that weather," said Kevin Miliken, who owns six businesses in the Bow Valley, including gift shops and Canmore'sOld Tyme Candy Shoppe.

But while many look to the strength of the U.S. dollar as a contributing factor to the mountain tourism boom, Milliken said most of the visitors he's seen are from Alberta and there have beeneven more of them since the downturn.

"It's just a steady, steady business increase, a healthy business increase," he said.

Direct flights from China

The head of Canmore Business and Tourism said his organization has tracked a slight increase in tourist numbers this spring and he's hoping to match or surpass last year's summer visitor count.

"People stay at home, they have their staycations and they like to come to somewhere like this," said Andrew Nickerson.

He said there actually have been more Americans over the past year as well and he'll be watching tourist numbers from China as direct flights to Calgary start next month.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Don't panic when Calgary's rivers swell on May 10, it's on purpose
• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Women take aim at Calgary city council's gender imbalance