Alberta Courts Gulf Investment and Tourists as Etihad Launches Calgary Route

Travel Alberta is pursuing two things from the Gulf at once: high-spending leisure travelers and the capital and expertise to build niche resorts and attractions it currently lacks. Etihad will launch a direct Abu Dhabi-Calgary service next month, operating four times weekly. Jon Mamela, chief commercial officer of Travel Alberta, said the airline is "placing a significant bet on Alberta," indicating inherent interest and demand already exist in the market. Because the flight from Abu Dhabi is roughly 13 hours, Mamela suggests a minimum stay of seven days — ideally 10 to 14 — which is expected to push spend well above average. Top source-market spend is about C$1,100 to C$2,200 ($785 to $1,…