Optimism remains in Saskatchewan

Eternal optimism has always been a hallmark of Saskatchewan and its residents.
The phrase, Next Year country, has as a result, been traditionally associated with much of what happens in Saskatchewan - it might not be up to snuff this year, but next year should be better.
It is that optimism that is propelling Saskatchewan, its leaders and residents through a recession that has seen startling unemployment, declines in the stock market and spending restraints that a year ago, at the top of the boom, were not even considered.
That has become the reality of the country, but even though Saskatchewan is also feeling the results of the recession, the optimism for next year and beyond has not disappeared.
Take the hotel occupancy rates, for instance. The occupancy rate is down in the province and elsewhere in Canada. But Saskatchewan's decline is less than the national average and that is enough to provide hope for hotel officials here who are thankful the decline isn't worse.
Saskatchewan's rate of occupancy for the first five months of the year was 67.4 per cent, down from 65.4 per cent the previous year. Canada's rate dropped to 54.4 per cent from 59.7 per cent.
Tom Mullin of the Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association is quick to note that Saskatchewan is on the top of the hotel room heap, being only a few percentage points behind the typical rate of 70 per cent occupancy usually enjoyed by Saskatchewan hotels.
He cites declining business travel, poor weather, the H1N1 virus and new border-crossing rules as some of the reasons for hotel use slippage. The number of recreational vehicles on the highway might also be another factor. Add in the fact families are staying closer to home and taking day trips rather than overnighters and hotel stays are bound to decline.
Because many areas in the province had banner hotel use in 2008, some decline was anticipated this year, and therefore that fuels the optimism that occupancy will return to near-normal levels for the remainder of the year.
Hotel officials share that hope, while at the same time, offering potential guests some special incentives for making use of hotel rooms and other amenities, thus increasing occupancy levels.