Local businesses are generally optimistic about the future and non-tourism businesses are strongly supportive of the tourism industry. These are two key findings from a recent business survey funded by Community Futures Big Country and completed in partnership with Drumheller & District Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Drumheller Economic Development Department and Travel Drumheller.
In April 2022 Community Futures Big Country released the Drumheller and Region Business Survey and Analysis Report. From January to March 2022 a survey campaign was undertaken by the project partners, resulting in significant outreach to local business owners. The survey collected responses from local businesses in the Drumheller region (including Starland Country). In total, 113 businesses provided their perspective on topics including workforce satisfaction, current business status, their future outlook, the impact of tourism, and familiarity with project partners. Key themes identified in the report include:
- Local businesses are generally optimistic about the future;
- While employers are, overall, happy with their current staff, they view the broader labour pool as a weakness;
- Many businesses in the community are seasonal in nature, relying on strong summer months to sustain their operations through lesser winter seasons;
- Benefits to doing business in the area include the “people” and its small-town appeal;
- Drawbacks to operating a business in the Drumheller region include the lack of population growth and high operating costs;
- The strong tourism sector and geographic location were seen as both strengths and drawbacks to running a local business.