Watching the dollar: Saskatchewan's tourism industry has 2 views

Are you hoping for American visitors or looking forward to visiting America? That's the key question when it comes to evaluating the impact of the falling Canadian dollar.

This week, the loonie dipped below 75 cents US for the first time in 11 years.

• Canadian dollar closes below 75 cents US for 1st time since 2004

People in the tourism industry say the value of the dollar has become a subject of conversation.

"People who have to buy their trips in US dollars are like, 'Oh, this is costing me an extra 35 per cent.' So they're really reevaluating," Darlene Bartley, owner of the Regina business Art of Travel, said Tuesday.

Many of her clients book their travel in advance and the change in the value of the dollar can affect plans. So far, Bartley said, there have been no cancelations although she expects some customers may shorten plans for extended trips.

She noted there are other destinations that are currently very competitive, such as Cuba. She added there are places in Portugal and Spain where a three-week stay in an apartment is cheaper than an all-inclusive package for a resort in Mexico for two weeks.

CBC News also spoke to people in Regina, asking for their views on the Canadian dollar.

"I guess if I go on a vacation this winter I won't be going to the states probably," Ryan Paus said. "That's about it. Otherwise I don't notice any differences in prices necessarily."

Some, like Mark Pearson, pay very close attention to the dollar.

"We have to buy in, bring in from the United States, so we started to actively look for more and more Canadian suppliers just to make it easier for us and save a little bit of money," Pearson said.

Tourism in Saskatchewan gets a boost

Tourism in Saskatchewan is up so far this year, an improvement linked to visiting Americans.

"When U.S. tourists are coming into Saskatchewan, that means they're taking advantage of restaurants, hotels or other services," Jeremy Harrison, the provincial minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan, said. "They're spending money here which is a good thing for our economy,"

According to Harrison, the number of entries into Saskatchewan along the border with the U.S. is up four per cent for the first six months of this year compared to the same time frame in 2014.