It's been months since the Lac La Ronge Visitor Centre has been open to the public. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Tourism Industry

‘I want to be optimistic’: Tourism season in La Ronge expected to be slow

May 23, 2020 | 10:00 AM

The busiest month for tourism in La Ronge is June, but Lac La Ronge Visitor Centre Manager Judy Hanke doesn’t believe there will be as much traffic as normal.

“I want to be optimistic, but I think it is going to be a little bit slower, especially probably June, which is one of our busiest months,” she said. “Saskatchewan won’t even really be wide open until whenever the date is for the last phase.”

It has been much slower in La Ronge in recent weeks due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. In a normal year, tourists from the United States and neighbouring provinces would be flooding into town, but that has happened as the national border is closed and provincial parks can’t be accessed by anyone outside of Saskatchewan.

In June, Hanke noted hundreds of canoers come through the region including multiple school groups from southern communities. While there won’t be any groups coming this year, she added it’s hard to determine how the tourism season might be in July and August.

“I think it might be a little busier once the province reopens completely,” Hanke said. “People are going to be really tired of being at home by then and, if people can get out and about, I can see perhaps being quite busy.”

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Hanke also explained the majority of people who stop at the visitor centre are from Saskatchewan. With a slow down of tourists coming from the United States or other provinces, she doesn’t think there will be a large impact on the region as a whole. For instance, she said many of the American tourists fly out of La Ronge and spend their money at more northern destinations like fishing camps.

“It still does impact our economy somewhat,” Hanke said. “I don’t think our economy relies on it necessarily.”

The visitor centre in Air Ronge is also set to open next week after being closed for the last two months. There will be limited hours, however, as it will only be open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hanke added once there are less COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan and she feels more comfortable, the centre will return to regular hours.

“I do encourage people to come to the centre,” she said. “There’s still a lot of artwork and I hope people continue to support these local artists, especially after everything that’s happened. They really rely on our local people supporting them.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno