A KNOWLEDGE SYNTHESIS OF MODELS, DRIVERS, AND RISKS Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism in the Kootenay Rockies The project team would like to acknowledge the support and guidance received from Kootenay Rockies Tourism. The project team acknowledges the guidance received from Richard Toperczer, Abra Brynne, Gerri Brightwell, and Ron LeBlanc. This report was funded by Mitacs Accelerate. Project Team: Alicia Rattu, Tracey Harvey, Sarah-Patricia Breen Publication Date: July 2022 Executive Summary This project identified and explored opportunities related to the development of cannabis tourism within the Kootenay Rockies Tourism (KRT) Region. Through a targeted literature review, this project aimed to address the following questions: 1. What are the drivers and risks of cannabis tourism? 2. What are the models and opportunities for cannabis tourism? 3. Who is the potential target market and what is the cross over with the region’s current target market? To accomplish the goals of the project and answer the research questions a literature review and content analysis were completed and a report summarizing the findings was prepared. Key Findings Cannabis tourism is defined as “the act of travelling or vacationing to a place because of the ability to purchase cannabis legally” (Taylor, 2019, as cited in Kang & McGrady, 2020). Cannabis tourism is a new niche market that has brought business opportunities and operational challenges to the hospitality and tourism industries (Kang, O’Leary, and Miller, 2016, as cited in McGrady et al., 2020). Drivers of Cannabis Tourism • Rural regions benefit from economic diversification due to a more stable economy, and specifically due to new business and employment opportunities. Partnership between the tourism sector and the cannabis industry provides an opportunity for economic diversification. • To protect the authenticity and brand of cannabis in the Kootenay Rockies while lowering stigma, an appellation framework could benefit the region. Risks of Cannabis Tourism • The difference in perceptions and treatment of cannabis across levels of government, policies, and participating organizations. • Not acknowledging resident perceptions towards cannabis tourism development or obtaining community support prior to development of cannabis tourism. • Sufficient digital access is necessary to improve the quality and safety of tourist experiences. Many farms are in remote locations creating barriers of entry for cannabis tourism operators due to connectivity challenges. • Amenity migration driven by a “green rush” could add to housing issues, including availability and affordability due to an influx of people. • Indoor cannabis cultivation and the tourism industry both contribute to greenhouse gas emissions posing a threat to environmentally sustainable economic development. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 1 07/05 Models and Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism • Two comparable jurisdictions in which transferrable cannabis tourism models and opportunities can be developed include Denver, Colorado and Humboldt County, California. Derived from these jurisdictions is: 1. A model which considers resident perception and place attachment after cannabis legalization and prior to cannabis tourism development. 2. A model which explores potential future barriers to market entry: legal and financial constraints, lack of infrastructure, and lack of education around recreational cannabis. 3. Additionally, three comparable tourism sectors from which cannabis tourism sector models can be developed include agritourism, wine and craft beer tourism. • Opportunities for a cannabis tourism implementation model during shoulder season were also identified. Shoulder season is the “off season” for summer and winter tourism. • Select models recommended: 1. An agritourism systems model which considers effective partnerships and communication between tourism providers, DMO’s and tourists. 2. A model which explores turning steps of the value chain into experiences including touring facilities, learning about cultivation, experiencing how the final product is made, and enjoying tastings. 3. A model which explores sensory experiences which uses consumer senses to enhance tourism experiences. Cannabis tourism opportunities relevant for the KRT region were identified and categorized into: 1. Current opportunities: cannabis tours, educational experiences, museums and art galleries, recreation, camping and cannabis friendly accommodations. 2. Potential opportunities pending change in policy: farm-gate and direct delivery program, and on-site consumption. The optimal timeframe identified for cannabis tourism opportunities was shoulder season. Demand for Cannabis Tourism • The current target market for the KRT region is identified using the following Explorer Quotient (EQ): authentic experiencers, cultural explorers, free spirits, and gentle explorers. • There are three clusters of cannabis tourists identified for a current target market profile: cannabis enthusiasts, diversionists, and those who are cannabis curious. • Each EQ can fall into a cannabis tourist cluster based on travel motivations: • Authentic experiencers and gentle explorers classify as cannabis curious. • Cultural explorers and free spirits classify as diversionists. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 2 07/05 Table of Contents Executive Summary..................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4 2. Methodology .......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Data Collection and Analysis ............................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Limitations ........................................................................................................................................ 6 3. Findings ................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Drivers of Cannabis Tourism ............................................................................................................. 6 3.2 Risks of Cannabis Tourism ................................................................................................................. 8 3.3 Summary of Key Drivers and Risks of Cannabis Tourism ................................................................. 10 3.4 Models and Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism ........................................................................... 11 3.5 Demand for Cannabis Tourism ........................................................................................................ 16 4. Discussion ............................................................................................................................................. 17 5. Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 18 6. References ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Appendix A: Cannabis Businesses in KRT Region ...................................................................................... 24 Appendix B: Cannabis Retail Stores in KRT Region .................................................................................... 25 Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 3 07/05 1. Introduction Cannabis legalization provides an opportunity for economic development and diversification. Canadian tourism destinations are exploring cannabis opportunities, and how they can best capitalize on cannabis tourism development. Cannabis tourism is defined as “the act of travelling or vacationing to a place because of the ability to purchase cannabis legally” (Taylor, 2019, as cited in Kang & McGrady, 2020). Cannabis tourism is a new niche market that has brought business opportunities and operational challenges to the hospitality and tourism industries (Kang, O’Leary, and Miller, 2016, as cited in McGrady et al., 2020). While there are opportunities to develop cannabis tourism across Canadian regions, there are also multiple barriers for the cannabis tourism industry. On October 17th, 2018, the passing of bill C-45 (the Cannabis Act) made cultivation, processing, selling, and possession of recreational cannabis legal for adult-use in Canada (Dupej & Nepal, 2021). The Cannabis Act regulations aim to protect youth, maintain public health and safety, and redirect resources from criminal prohibition to a legal environment (Dupej & Nepal, 2021). In 2001, cannabis was legalized for medical purposes; however, the criminality associated with cannabis remained unmanageable for people pursuing legal use (Harvey, 2021). Furthermore, the 2002 senate special committee on illegal drugs “concludes that Canada’s policy of criminalization creates harms that are disproportionate to the harms associated with marijuana use” (Mackay & Phillips, 2016 as cited in Harvey, 2021). The Kootenay Rockies region covers 58,000 kilometers 2 of British Columbia (BC) and is located in the south-eastern corner of BC, to the east of the Okanagan Valley and to the west of the Alberta border. The region has a population of 161,557 and is characterized by an older demographic with the average age at 45 years old (Statistics Canada, 2021). There are rich historic ties to cannabis in the region as the culture and economy have contributed to the socioeconomic fabric of the area and is estimated to contribute to upwards of 30% of the economy in the region (Kavanagh, 2021). The major towns in the region include Castlegar, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Radium Hot Springs, Revelstoke, Golden, and Nelson which contribute to the cannabis industry currently (See Appendix A). The city of Nelson is particularly well known for their cannabis culture in the region. Kootenay Rockies Tourism (KRT) is one of British Columbia’s regional destination management organizations (RDMO) that works on behalf of tourism stakeholders in the Kootenay Rockies region. KRT partnered with the Selkirk Innovates at Selkirk College to oversee a research project to identify and explore drivers and risks, models, and opportunities and demand related to the development of cannabis tourism within the Kootenay Rockies Tourism region. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 4 07/05 Figure 1: KRT Region Map The guiding questions for this project are as follows: 1. What are the drivers and risks for cannabis tourism? 2. What are the models and opportunities for cannabis tourism? 3. Who is the potential target market and what is the cross over with the region’s current target market? This report presents results from the study and is organized as follows: summary of methodology, presentation of findings, and conclusions. 2. Methodology 2.1 Data Collection and Analysis The methods used for collecting and analyzing data were a targeted literature review and content analysis. A targeted literature review uses explicit methods to identify, select, qualitatively analyze, and interpret key research based on formulated research questions (RWE Navigator, n.d.). The parameters used for searching targeted literature were as followed: • • • • Date Range: 2012- present. This time frame was selected based on when cannabis legalization was initiated in North America specifically looking to Canada, Oregon, California, Washington, and Colorado. Exceptions were made for literature that was frequently cited by multiple authors and literature that discussed models from comparable tourism sectors. Literature Databases: OCTOPUS, Research Gate, and Google Scholar. Inclusion Criteria: Literature must involve tourism, cannabis, or rural development. Geographic Location: North America. For economic and policy related searches the parameters were to focus on North American literature for similarity to the Kootenay Rockies Tourism region. There was emphasis placed on documents that focused on rural tourism development and cannabis tourism in North America for relevancy to the Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 5 07/05 Kootenay Rockies Tourism region. However, due to the scarcity of cannabis tourism literature, a few documents from outside of North America were used to fill the gap in the literature. Peer reviewed and grey literature documents (I.e., strategies, government documents and reports) were used. Documents were also provided by project team members, KRT, and key advisors. The collected data was summarized to find the importance of main arguments relating to the project. Finally, an analysis was completed to relate the collected data to the research questions for this project. 2.2 Limitations Since cannabis tourism is an emergent sub-sector, there was limited literature on the topic. Therefore, literature from comparable industries including wine, craft beer, and agritourism was used as well. These industries are comparable to cannabis tourism due to similarities in policy, tourism operations and opportunities. However, this approach created limitations on what models were easily transferrable to cannabis tourism from these comparable industries. Literature from comparable jurisdictions was also used to demonstrate development of cannabis tourism. The literature review found that the local Kootenay Rockies cannabis culture is farther advanced than the comparable jurisdictions and is envisioning cannabis tourism. It seems as though the local sector hope to see cannabis tourism evolve which is beyond what was found in comparable jurisdictions. 3. Findings 3.1 Drivers of Cannabis Tourism A driver is any initiative that is essential for success or growth of an industry. The drivers of cannabis tourism were included in this report to discuss the factors of success and recommendations for growth in the industry. This section discusses the drivers of cannabis tourism beginning with economic diversification (see Section 3.1.1) for rural development. Following economic diversification, appellation opportunities (see Section 3.1.2) for cannabis tourism in the Kootenay Rockies region are discussed. 3.1.1 ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION Economic diversification is one driver of cannabis tourism. From the literature there were no examples on economic diversification specific to cannabis tourism. For this reason, the findings focus on economic diversification related to rural economic development, the tourism industry, and the cannabis industry separately. In rural regions such as the Kootenay Rockies, tourism development is used as an economic diversification response when restructuring from reliance on single industry economies such as mining and forestry (Ramsey & Malcolm, 2018). Relying on a single industry can be unsustainable for long-term regional resilience because it makes the region more vulnerable to external forces like recession or natural resource depletion. Therefore, diversifying economies beyond resource extraction could help ensure long-term regional resilience because communities will not have to rely on a single industry for economic growth (Ramsey & Malcolm, 2018). Tourism is a common industry used for diversifying rural economies. However, it is important to note that regions cannot rely on any single industry or sector (including tourism) for economic success. The emergence of businesses providing cannabis services will create opportunities such as larger labour pools and more tourism personnel for cannabis tourism. Due to limited research on Canadian cannabis tourism, literature from cannabis regions where cannabis tourism is established was used, including Denver, Colorado and California (Town of Smiths Falls & Strategic Partners, 2019). For example, in Colorado as of April 2020 there were 1,686 licenced cannabis businesses and the number of estimated jobs in the cannabis industry in 2019 was 34,705 (Kang & McGrady, 2020). For more economic benefits Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 6 07/05 relating to cannabis tourism from Colorado, see figure 2. The typical customer for cannabis tourism spends an estimated $300 to $400 at dispensaries during visits. This estimate is roughly three times as much as an average transaction with locals (Yakowicz & Kelleher, 2022). Yakowicz and Kelleher (2022) state out of $25 billion in legal cannabis sales in 2021, Forbes estimates that up to $4.5 billion was driven by tourists pouring an additional $12.6 billion into restaurants, hotels, and attractions. It is also useful to use economic estimates from wine tourism since it is a comparable tourism sector (See section 3.4.2). The wine tourism sector estimates that in one year there will be 3 million visitors to Canadian wineries, $1.2 billion in tourism related economic activity, and 5,520 jobs directly related to wine tourism (Tourism Industry Association of Canada, 2015 as cited in, Town of Smiths Falls & Strategic Partners, 2019). Furthermore, the Smiths Falls Cannabis Tourism Strategy states that cannabis tourism could potentially surpass wine tourism in popularity and estimates that of the $1.5 billion of tourismrelated economic activity, an estimated $75 million would be from cannabis tourism (The Economic Impact of Wine and Grape Industry Canada, 2015 as cited in, Town of Smiths Falls & Strategic Partners, 2019). Figure 2: Colorado Colorado Economic Benefits of Cannabis Tourism Cannabis tourism has brought opportunity and economic benefit to Colorado in recent years. Research from the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) and partner Strategic Marketing and Research Insights (SMARI) shows that cannabis-motivated visitors tend to have longer visits and spend more money than other visitors per visit. The average visitor to Colorado spent $1,869 per trip; a visitor who participated in cannabis activities spent $1,930 per trip; and a cannabis motivated visitor spent an average of $2,030 per trip. Visitors who went to a dispensary also reported dining at local restaurants, shopping, enjoying the scenic areas, skiing/ snowboarding and visiting state and national parks. Multiple visitors take cannabis tours that stop at grow facilities and dispensaries, as well as restaurants and sightseeing spots. The tours customize the experience based on individuals attending and 95% of customers come from out of state. In total, cannabis sales from 2014 to date exceeded $6.56 billion in Colorado and stimulated tourism in the state. This data is from Marijuana Tourism Attracts Million of Visitors and Dollars, by Nora Caley (2019). https://www.cobizmag.com/marijuana-tourism-attracts-millions-of-visitors-and-dollars/ 3.1.2 BRAND PROTECTION AND CANNABIS LEGITIMACY Years before legalization, “cannabis cultivated social capital by connecting people over a common goal of employment, bringing traditionally polarized groups together” (Harvey, 2021). This created a cannabis legacy for the region which is currently vulnerable after the legalization of cannabis in Canada. To protect the authenticity and brand of cannabis in the Kootenay Rockies while normalizing cannabis culture, an appellation could benefit the region. An appellation is a legally protected geographical indication used to identify where an agricultural product comes from (Stoa, 2018). Appellations are most known for being used in the wine industry; however, an appellation can be beneficial for any agricultural product. Having an appellation in place would protect the region’s reputation and rich history of cannabis cultivation from fraudulent association. Stoa (2018) stresses that without such protection, it becomes impossible for a region to capitalize on its reputation since any cannabis business located anywhere could claim to produce/sell Kootenay product. Additionally, farmers are often not fairly compensated for creating high-quality products, and consumers cannot be sure of the authenticity of Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 7 07/05 the product label. Furthermore, Stoa (2018) emphasizes that appellations create mandatory differentiation which can be beneficial to local economies threatened by cheap alternatives. Since cannabis was sold illicitly up until recently there has been little information on how or where it was grown which can be problematic for the educated (or those seeking cannabis education) consumer (Stoa, 2018). Stakeholders from the Kootenay Cannabis Economic Development Council have already identified the need for an appellation for cannabis cultivated in the Kootenay Rockies region. The council has identified that some form of protection is needed, and that an appellation would assist businesses in promoting their products (Brynne et al., 2021). 3.2 Risks of Cannabis Tourism A risk is a potential negative result that may occur during cannabis tourism development and implementation. The risks of cannabis tourism were included in this report to discuss the potential negative outcomes and barriers that should be considered for future development and implementation. This section first discusses the policy barriers (see Section 3.2.1) for cannabis tourism development in the Kootenay Rockies region. This is followed with an analysis on resident perception for cannabis tourism development and the risk of not obtaining community support (see Section 3.2.2). Accessibility and remote farms (see Section 3.2.3) are discussed, followed by amenity migration (see Section 3.2.4) risks. Finally, this section discusses the carbon footprints of the cannabis and tourism industries (see Section 3.2.5) that pose as risks to cannabis tourism development. 3.2.1 POLICY BARRIERS A substantial barrier that is preventing the legal cannabis industry from thriving in British Columbia is the difference in perceptions and treatment of cannabis across levels of government, policies, and participating organizations. For example, from a policy perspective cannabis is still considered a dangerous product, and in British Columbia it is regulated under the Ministry of Public Safety. However, from an economic perspective, development of the cannabis sector and cannabis tourism cuts across multiple ministries, as does cannabis cultivation, which is classified under the following NAICS codes (Statistics Canada, 2019): • • • • • 111412 Cannabis grown under cover 111995 Cannabis grown in open fields 312310 Cannabis product manufacturing 413410 Cannabis merchant wholesalers 453993 Cannabis stores All legal cannabis in British Columbia is sold exclusively at government-run stores, licensed private retailers, and the BC government’s online store (Province of British Columbia, n.d.). Additionally, there are strict federal rules for promoting cannabis as well as provincial regulations against marketing, advertising, and promoting consumption spaces for cannabis or places to spend time after consuming cannabis. The BC Chamber of Commerce recommended that incorporating cannabis sales and agritourism into rural economic development strategies would enable better access to legal cannabis (BC Chamber of Commerce, n.d.). The current regulations make cannabis tourism initiatives difficult to implement and market. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 8 07/05 3.2.2 RESIDENT PERCEPTION AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT Resident perception and community support are essential when planning for successful tourism development. Ensuring that the community is supportive of tourism ventures is important because successful tourism within rural areas can result in negative impacts within the community (Lane, 1994, as cited in Ramsey & Malcolm, 2018). Ramsey & Malcolm (2018) found the negative impacts of most concern were related to host-guest conflict, authenticity of the tourism product to the region’s culture, and the commodification of culture. There is limited research on resident perceptions on cannabis tourism in Canada. However, studies from the United States are being conducted on how residents perceive cannabis tourism after legalization. Kang and Lee (2018) used the social exchange theory to explain how perceived impacts affect residents’ level of support for cannabis tourism development and found that the more residents perceive impacts positively, the more they are likely to support tourism. The social exchange theory is “a general sociological theory concerned with understanding the exchange of resources between individuals and groups in an interaction situation (AP, 1992 as cited in Kang & Lee, 2018). Kang & Lee (2018) state “social exchange theory proposes that residents who perceive personal benefit from tourism development are inclined to express positive attitudes toward it and therefore supporting tourism development”. The best way to mitigate these challenges, if any arise, is to ensure new tourism initiatives align with existing culture and authenticity of the region. While there is limited research on this in terms of development and addressing resident perception, the literature highlighted how to build cannabis tourism based on resident perceptions. (See section 3.4.1). 3.2.3 DIGITAL ACCESS AND REMOTE FARMS Sufficient digital access is required to ensure tourism operations can operate successfully. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) (2020) recommends developing technology and digitalization to ensure market accessibility for tourism operators and to enhance experiences for visitors. These developments can include contactless check-in, cashless payments, access to reliable wireless internet, online purchasing of local products, and digital menus (United Nations World Tourism Organization, 2020). The UNWTO (2020) states that as demand for rural cannabis tourism increases, sufficient digital access can improve the quality and safety of the tourist experiences. In rural regions such as the Kootenay Rockies, many farms are in remote areas and may have challenges with connectivity and access. This limited access to cannabis farms and ruralness is a barrier of entry for cannabis tourism operators (Reilly et al., 2021). For example, the large amounts of space between farms could cause challenges for tour operators in the future due to limited vehicle access; therefore, major financial commitments to expand transportation routes are required to develop these areas for tourism (Reilly et al., 2021). 3.2.4 AMENITY MIGRATION Amenity migration is “an increase in human migration where tourism resources are highly developed and includes permanent and second homeowner’s relocation seeking preferred qualities of life” (Kang & McGrady, 2020). Although destinations can benefit from amenity migration by acquiring more tourism business personnel and local patrons, there is a risk that destinations could suffer from a lack of affordable housing for employees and residents due to the influx of people in the region (Gill, 2008, as cited in Kang & McGrady, 2020). For example, a study from Colorado suggests legalized cannabis is contributing to amenity migration driven by a “green rush” which is impacting residents’ quality of life (Zambiasi & Stillman, 2020, as cited in Kang & McGrady, 2020). Therefore, it is recommended that Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 9 07/05 cannabis tourism initiatives, along with available and affordable housing considerations, are developed in a sustainable manner to mitigate these risks associated with tourism development. 3.2.5 CANNABIS AND TOURISM INDUSTRY CARBON FOOTPRINTS The cannabis industry and tourism industry are both known for their large carbon footprints due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A carbon footprint is “a measure of the exclusive total amount of carbon dioxide emissions that is directly and indirectly caused by an activity or is accumulated over the life stages of a product” (Wiedmann & Minx, 2008, as cited in Zheng et al., 2021). It was estimated that indoor cannabis cultivation leads to 4600 kg of CO2 emissions for every kilogram produced, equivalent to one vehicle driving 18,370 kilometers (Zheng et al., 2021). Meanwhile, tourism is responsible for roughly 8% of the world’s carbon emissions with 49% of those emissions solely from transportation, 10% from food and beverage, and 8% from agritourism (Sustainable Travel International, 2020). Therefore, a focus on climate action is urgent for cannabis tourism and is worthy of further research. This risk is partially addressed through the KRT ‘Regional Destination Development Strategy’ which outlines a goal for combating climate change. The goal aims to “develop strategies to adapt to climate change and to reduce the contribution to the tourism industry to greenhouse gas emissions” (Kootenay Rockies Tourism, 2019). The strategy outlines a catalyst project to create a climate action task force to develop an approach to climate change and mitigation. This will be used to educate the tourism industry and visitors to the region. It is recommended that all cannabis tourism development aligns with the climate action goals set by KRT. Aligning with the climate action goals could include being apart of KRT’s task force or following the best practices that will eventually be found on how to approach climate change mitigation. 3.3 Summary of Key Drivers and Risks of Cannabis Tourism The drivers of cannabis tourism are essential for success of the industry in the Kootenay Rockies region. Tourism development can be part of an economic diversification response in rural regions suggesting it may be economically beneficial to develop cannabis tourism opportunities. The Smiths Falls Cannabis Tourism Strategy (2019) report estimated $2 billion in tourism revenue after implementing cannabis tourism. An appellation for the region’s cannabis production could also benefit KRT because it would protect the region’s cannabis reputation and culture. The Kootenay Cannabis Economic Development Council is already advocating for an appellation, so KRT could offer support for this request by leveraging their platform and spearheading future initiatives for cannabis tourism development. The risks of cannabis tourism are negative outcomes and barriers that the region will need to consider for future cannabis tourism development. A substantial barrier preventing a thriving cannabis tourism industry in the region is the difference in perceptions and treatment of cannabis across levels of government, policies, and participating organizations. It is crucial that there is awareness that resident perception and community support are essential when developing cannabis tourism to ensure that new initiatives align with the existing culture of the region. Another risk will be insufficient digital access and the remoteness of farms. With a potential new tourism development for the region, the cannabis tourism eco-system should be aware of a potential "green rush" and amenity migration. Finally, to align with the goals of their Regional Destination Development Strategy, KRT should continue to focus on reducing the region’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 10 07/05 3.4 Models and Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism The models for cannabis tourism were derived from comparable jurisdictions outside Canada (see Section 3.4.1), as well as transferable models from within the tourism sector (see Section 3.4.2) due to the limited research available on Canadian cannabis tourism. Opportunities relevant to KRT, the cannabis industry, and tourism industry (see Section 3.4.3) are organized into what is possible based on current and anticipated policy, cannabis tourism implementation models, and shoulder season. 3.4.1 MODELS FROM COMPARABLE JURISDICTIONS It was found that there is limited research on cannabis tourism in Canada and British Columbia. For this reason, a literature review was conducted to find models of cannabis tourism from comparable jurisdictions. Research that was easiest to transfer to the Kootenay Rockies region came from Denver, Colorado and Humboldt County, California due to culture and policy similarities. The similarities between Humboldt County and Kootenay Rockies legacy cannabis culture are highlighted in the case study in Figure 3. Due to the short amount of time cannabis has been legal, the models of cannabis tourism have had a short time to emerge. Therefore, the current existing models focus on developing the community and resident acceptance to develop the sector. Although Denver, Colorado is a city and not a rural region, it is used as a comparable jurisdiction due to lack of research on cannabis tourism. These jurisdictions are like the Kootenay Rockies in a cultural sense because all the regions had a rich history and culture attached to cannabis before legalization; therefore, models on resident perception, reducing stigma, and education were easily transferable. Since the comparable jurisdictions are in North America, there were similar policy barriers to overcome with legalization. This made the barriers to entry to cannabis tourism easily transferable. However, a main difference is that in these comparable jurisdictions recreational cannabis is only legalized at a state level. Table 1: Comparable Jurisdiction Models Jurisdiction Denver, Colorado Summary of Approach Kang (2019) released surveys to residents to study resident perceptions of cannabis tourism two years after implementation and found if residents’ place attachment is high, they are less likely to perceive negative impacts from cannabis tourism. Strictly using the term cannabis rather slang terms (weed, marijuana) to assist with positive resident perception and reducing stigma. (Keul & Eisenhauer, Model Research on resident perception and reducing stigma. 2019). Humboldt County, California Pachmayer et al. (2021) released a questionnaire to residents prior to recreational cannabis sales beginning in California. Found concern from older, long-term residents that legalization of cannabis and cannabis tourism development would create a loss of outdoor and recreational tourists. Research on resident perception, barriers to entry to cannabis tourism in rural communities, and the importance of education. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 11 07/05 Jurisdiction Summary of Approach Reilly et al. (2021) interviewed cannabis tourism operators to explore multiple topics related to cannabis tourism (impacts on retail, barriers to enter the industry, and changes in tourism visits). The main barriers to entry to cannabis tourism included legal and financial constraints, lack of infrastructure to support tourism, and lack of education for the recreational cannabis industry. Education includes educating the community about economic benefits, teaching tourists proper, safe, and legal ways to consume, and ensuring farmer’s authentic brand is represented. Model Figure 3: Humboldt County Humboldt County, California Legacy Cannabis Tourism In the 1960’s, hippies moved into the region and started growing cannabis which began the cannabis legacy for Humboldt County. Now that legal cannabis sales are mainstream, the goal is to keep the legacy preserved and the local history intact since “the legacy is important for the future, not the past” (DeLapp as cited in Vanderheiden, 2021). The owner of Humboldt Cannabis Tours, Matt Kurth, believes the best way to protect the legacy is to bring people to the region. People in Humboldt County are leaning into tourism because it provides diverse income streams and economic stability. Kurth thinks the region needs to move away from selling pounds and shift towards selling the experiences instead. Humboldt County already has cannabis tourism including tours, hotels offering consumptions spaces, and cannabis lounges but development is still occurring. Laura Lasseter, Director of Operations for the Southern Humboldt Business and Visitors Bureau emphasized the need to preserve the cannabis culture and legacy craft farmers that made the region work renowned. Lasseter also believes “there is an opportunity to partner between cannabis trade associations, various tourism organization, chambers of commerce and pool resources together where we’re building each other up” (Vanderheiden, 2021). This data is from Humboldt County Cannabis Industry Looks to Tourism, by Isabella Vanderheiden (2021). https://www.times-standard.com/2021/12/11/is-tourism-the-key-to-saving-humboldtscannabis-industry/ 3.4.2 MODELS FROM COMPARABLE TOURISM SECTORS Due to limited research on cannabis tourism, literature on models were collected from comparable tourism sectors where more specific models have had a chance to mature. For example, in the Smiths Falls Cannabis Tourism Strategy (2019) report, a market analysis of wine tourism is included to provide an example of what implementing cannabis tourism would potentially look like in the region. Models Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 12 07/05 were found from agritourism, wine and craft beer tourism to be used as guides for cannabis tourism. From an economic development perspective, cannabis is considered an agricultural product; therefore, a model used for agritourism was used as a guide for cannabis tourism because both sectors have similar business operations with farm tours, sales, and experiences. Wine, craft beer, and cannabis are similar since all industries yield varieties of product that are leveraged for tourism and include sensory and educational aspects to experiences. There are other potentially comparable sectors (I.e., gambling and tobacco), however, due to the stigma still tied to cannabis it was important to be cautious about society’s negative perceptions about these sectors, so they were not used for comparison. AGRITOURISM SYSTEMS MODEL McGehee (2009) developed an agritourism systems model for tourism providers and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) that promotes tourism opportunities to potential tourists that suits all partners. The model is based on tourism providers delivering a product to tourists who consume the product, and the DMO enhances the efficiency of transactions between these two stakeholders. The agritourism systems model reduces or eliminates each stakeholders’ individual obstacles while meeting each group’s needs as well. Each stakeholder needs to possess and identify requirements for success to fulfill its role in the system. McGehee (2009) discusses that the agritourism systems model is successful when all stakeholders are communicating efficiently and working together towards a mutually beneficial relationship to overcome obstacles. If the model is successful, it will ensure: • • • DMO’s are catering to many varieties of needs to agritourists. Agritourism providers cater to many forms of tourists to attract and retain more customers. DMO’s and agritourism providers are aware that the economic success of both groups is dependent on each other. This model holds the potential to support sustainable tourism. An influx of visitors and residents can be managed sustainably if tourism providers and DMO’s work together to preserve the culture of the region. However, this study identified that an obstacle to agritourism participation is a lack of identification of farm locations. It additionally found that tourists were concerned with a lack of marketing and promotion (McGehee, 2009). These same obstacles pertain to cannabis tourism. WINE TOURISM VALUE CHAIN MODEL The wine and cannabis industries have multiple similarities. Thach (2017) identified how both industries yield unique varieties with specific aromas and tasting notes, are suited to appellations, and produce multiple production lines, which are/can all be leveraged for promoting tourism. Wine tourism includes most steps of the value chain and turns them into experiences. This includes touring vineyards, observing, and participating in grape cultivation, experiencing winemaking, and enjoying tastings and food pairings. Due to the believed parallels between wine and cannabis tourism, Keul and Eisenhauer (2019) argue that cannabis farms could adopt this value chain tourism model in the future. In cannabis tourism, this would include visiting a cannabis farm and touring the facilities, participating in/ learning about cultivation, experiencing how cannabis is made, and enjoying tastings or samples. SENSORY EXPERIENCE MODEL Cannabis tourism can include sensory experiences like wine and craft beer tourism. The wine and craft beer industries also have an educational approach to tourism that cannabis tourism can mirror. For example, cannabis tour operators and budtenders can suggest different varieties and offer samples like a sommelier (Keul & Eisenhauer, 2019).The sensory model uses consumer senses to enhance experiences and is commonly used in wine and craft beer tourism through tastings. Cannabis tourism Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 13 07/05 works within the law to use the sensory model already by enriching customers with visual and olfactory spaces like grow facilities and dispensaries that offer sample jars (Keul & Eisenhauer, 2019). Until on-site consumption is allowed, cannabis tourism will not be able to implement the sensory model like wine and craft-beer tourism have done. 3.4.3 OPPORTUNITIES RELEVANT TO KOOTENAY ROCKIES TOURISM Current policy barriers restrict many cannabis tourism opportunities in British Columbia today. While the timeline for policy change is unknown, there is hope that soon farm-gate sales, direct delivery, and onsite consumption will be permitted provincially. To accommodate the variable time frame, cannabis tourism opportunities are organized into current opportunities and potential opportunities, those associated with farm-gate and direct delivery, and those around on-site consumption. Current opportunities are cannabis tourism ventures that can be developed within the current policy barriers and include cannabis tours, museum and art galleries such as the previous exhibit at Touchstones Nelson Museum of Art and History, recreation, camping, cannabis friendly accommodations, and educational experiences where consumers learn about cultivation, the region’s history and culture, the varieties, and consumption. Cannabis friendly accommodations can include experiences like HiBnb, a spin on Airbnb for cannabis friendly accommodations. HiBnb includes rental listings which “offer opportunities to explore cannabis in safe and supportive environments” (HiBnb, n.d.). It is important to note that until cannabis consumption is viewed in society as a normal practice cannabis friendly accommodations will exist. More opportunities will come available when farm-gate and direct delivery are no longer prohibited such as cannabis tours with on-site sales, farmers market sales, and agritourism experiences which all involve purchasing cannabis on-site rather than purchases being solely through government-run stores. When on-site consumption is legal, more opportunities will be available for development like events and festivals, on-site tastings, U-Pick experiences, and food and beverage experiences like infused food and beverage or cannabis food pairings. There are also many new and innovative opportunities that can be developed in the future that are unique to the region (See Table 2 for sample ideas). For example, Destination BC provides tools and resources which could be applied to cannabis tourism in the future. Furthermore, when promotion of cannabis is legal, cannabis tourism could potentially be added to these tools and resources for tourism providers to use. Table 2: Current and Future Cannabis Tourism Opportunities Current Opportunities • • • • • • Cannabis tours Educational experiences Museums and art galleries Recreation Camping Cannabis friendly accommodations Potential Opportunities with Farm-Gate/ Direct Delivery • Cannabis tours with on-site sales • Farmers market sales • Agritourism experiences Potential Opportunities with On-Site Consumption • Events/ Festivals • Tastings • Food and beverage experiences • U-Pick experience Other Potential Opportunities • Partnerships between tourism operators and cannabis cultivators • Health, wellness, and spa experiences (See figure 4) Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 14 07/05 Figure 4: Switzerland Switzerland’s First Cannabis Wellness Spa The first cannabis wellness spa in Switzerland opened in 2022, promoting itself as a place to relax. This includes hemp muesli and yoga with CBD oil massages. Since luxury wellness “never really goes out of style”, the venture is appealing as an après ski event for the region and could be the beginning of a cannabis-themed wellness trend on schedule to roll out in that part of the world. While this project is more on the budget side for now, the hospitality business when partnered with wellness is a tradition in this part of the world and is bound to take off. Edibles, including ones with THC, will be available in pharmacies and “cannabis clubs” in Switzerland; therefore, wellness experiences including higher levels of THC is a possible future endeavor. This data is from Europe’s First Cannabis Wellness Spa opens in Switzerland, by Marguerite Arnold (2022). https://hightimes.com/news/europes-first-cannabis-wellness-spa-opens-in-switzerland/ SHOULDER SEASON The shoulder season, or “off-season”, in the tourism industry is an issue for many destinations, including the Kootenay Rockies region. KRT outlined in their regional destination development strategy that a goal is to “increase shoulder season visitation, and work towards a year-round tourism economy” (Kootenay Rockies Tourism, 2019). This could be used as an opportunity for cannabis tourism since the optimal timeframe identified for cannabis tourism opportunities was shoulder season. This is because outdoor cannabis is not ready for sale until after fall harvest, which is when most tourism decreases, excluding winter activities. Having outdoor product ready for sale and a possible U-Pick experience to promote cannabis tourism in the shoulder season would increase non-peak season visitations to the region without having to compromise the regular cannabis cultivation season. While outdoor cannabis harvest could increase shoulder season visitation, indoor cannabis could provide year-round visitation due to multiple harvest cycles. INTEGRATION OF CANNABIS INTO EXISTING TOURISM MOTIVATION MODEL The final opportunity is to integrate cannabis tourism within the existing tourism motivation model. Cannabis tourism can be divided into three categories: experiential, authenticity seeking, and pleasure oriented. This implementation model was derived from a study from Belhassen et al. (2007) which found that there are four groups of tourist motivations: experimentation, quest for authenticity, pleasure orientation, and purchasing. This model can be used to demonstrate future cannabis tourism experiences and opportunities. Belhassen et al. (2007) discuss purchasing cannabis as a stage in a deviant lifestyle and relate it to smuggling drugs across borders; therefore, purchasing was not included in this report as to not promote deviance and crime. This is within the illicit market, so purchasing now, while legal, is not comparable for cannabis tourism development in the Kootenay Rockies region. Experiential cannabis tourism provides experiences for novel cannabis users who wish to consume cannabis during a vacation (Belhassen et al., 2007). These tourists who travel to try cannabis are also seeking education and normalization for cannabis and consumption, therefore, this type of cannabis tourism appeals to people who want to learn the regions of cannabis production, safe consumption, the history and origin of cannabis specific to the Kootenay region. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 15 07/05 Authenticity seeking cannabis tourism is for tourists who travel to a destination to experience the cannabis culture of that region. Belhassen et al. (2017) suggests that traveling to cannabis-oriented destinations can be seen as a manifestation of belonging to a cannabis culture; the Kootenay Rockies region can benefit from authenticity seeking cannabis tourism because of the rich cannabis culture in the region. An appellation for Kootenay Rockies cannabis could further aid this type of cannabis tourism by making the region the “must-go-to” place for cannabis tourism in British Columbia. By creating an appellation for the Kootenay Rockies region, unique varieties cultivated in the region can be specified for which people will travel to experience since cannabis is not cultivated the same anywhere else. Authentic cannabis tourism has potential to positively influence resident perceptions as well since the culture of the region will be aligned with any cannabis tourism development. Pleasure oriented cannabis tourism is a complementary product of a tourist’s vacation which is more recreational focused (Belhassen et al., 2007). Tourists are not traveling to the region specifically to consume cannabis but having it easily accessible is a motivator to travel to the region. Food and beverage experiences, events, recreation, relaxation, accommodations, and socializing are usually included in these tourism offerings. 3.5 Demand for Cannabis Tourism The demand for cannabis tourism can be categorized by first identifying the current target market profile for the Kootenay Rockies region followed by the identification of the cannabis tourism target market profile. The current target market profile (3.5.1) is what the target market is in BC currently for tourism in general. The cannabis tourism target market profile (3.5.2) includes three clusters of tourists that are most likely to participate in cannabis tourism. Finally, this section discusses how the two profiles compare (3.5.3). 3.5.1 CURRENT TARGET MARKET PROFILE For market segmentation, KRT uses Explorer Quotient (EQ) rather than traditional segments. EQ segments travelers based on psychological characteristics; various characteristics are combined, and types of travelers are created (Kootenay Rockies Tourism, 2019). The current target market for the Kootenay Rockies region includes authentic experiencers (17%), cultural explorers (7%), free spirits (13%), and gentle explorers (15%) (Kootenay Rockies Tourism, 2022) (see Table 3). Table 3: Explorer Quotient Profiles for British Columbia Authentic Experiencers 17% • Understated travelers • Looking for authentic, tangible engagement with destinations • High on historical travel Cultural Explorers 7% • Constant travelers • Love to get immersed in local culture, people, and settings Free Spirits 13% • Highly social • Open minded • Experimental and adventurous • Enjoy high-end hedonic experiences Gentle Explorers 15% • Reluctant traveler • Demand luxury and comfort when they travel • There’s no place like home Note. The data in the table is from EQ Profiles, by Canadian Tourism Commission. (n.d.). 3.5.2 CANNABIS TOURISM TARGET MARKET PROFILE Recent literature stresses that there is no difference between a cannabis traveler and every other traveler (Yakowicz & Kelleher, 2022). In fact, the typical cannabis traveler looks more like an upscale vacationer. According to a report from the Cannabis Travel Association International (CTAI) a cannabis Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 16 07/05 traveler can be described as millennials or younger, with a college degree, a job, and an average household income of $87,000 (Yakowicz & Kelleher, 2022). Yakowicz and Kelleher (2022) estimate that half of all millennials say that access to legal recreational cannabis is important when choosing a destination and more than 43% say they specifically chose a destination because cannabis was legal there. There were limited sources on cannabis tourism target markets in the literature. In North America, there were no examples of cannabis tourism target markets, therefore, we had to look internationally. Wen et al. (2020) conducted a study that proposed three clusters of cannabis tourists based on a sample of Chinese tourists who consumed cannabis in Amsterdam. These clusters of tourists are easily transferrable to a general cannabis tourism target market profile; however, it recommended further research. The three clusters include cannabis enthusiasts, who were identified as highly motivated, diversionists, (who were the largest group of tourists) that travel and consume cannabis to experience the local culture, relaxation and pleasure, and the cannabis curious (Wen et al., 2020). This last group was most interested in cannabis authenticity and demonstrated the lowest intentions to revisit the destination (Wen et al., 2020). These clusters demonstrate that within a specific target market there is a range in differences and while the behaviours in North America are unlikely to be the same, we know there will be a variation of users. There are similarities and differences that can found between the EQ profiles and the cannabis tourist clusters. Each EQ can fall into a cannabis tourist cluster due to the overlap in some of the motives and characteristics of each profile. Authentic experiencers would most likely be cannabis curious due to their interest in authentic engagement with destinations; therefore, they would be most interested in cannabis authenticity. Cultural explorers would be classified as diversionists since they love to get immersed in local culture and would be the most likely to consume cannabis to experience the local culture. Free spirits could be classified as diversionists because of the hedonic experiences that include relaxation and pleasure. Finally, gentle explorers would most likely be cannabis curious since they are reluctant travellers, therefore, are most likely to demonstrate the lowest intentions of revisiting. 4. Discussion Taking the key findings from section 3 into consideration, it is clear there is opportunity for cannabis tourism development in the Kootenay Rockies region to explore, but there are also many risks and challenges. Based on the findings, we identified recommendations for consideration on how cannabis tourism initiatives can be developed. The recommendations for consideration include: • • • Support for Kootenay Cannabis Appellation: Support the Kootenay Cannabis Economic Development Council with the development of an appellation for cannabis cultivated in the Kootenay Rockies region. Assist with promotion of local and protected products. Support Farm-Gate/ Direct Delivery and On-Site Consumption Programs: Since these programs are not legal yet, KRT can support stakeholders in engaging with the Provincial Government to have changes made to policy to enable these options. Clarify and Align the Region’s Cannabis Culture with Future Initiatives: To have authentic cannabis tourism, the legal cannabis industry and KRT must familiarize themselves with the cannabis culture and ensure that new cannabis tourism initiatives align with the existing culture of the region. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 17 07/05 • • Possible Marketing and Promotions: If policy on marketing and advertising cannabis changes, KRT should promote Kootenay Rockies cannabis tourism. Further Research: As cannabis tourism begins to develop, it is recommended that KRT and other stakeholders continue research on resident perceptions of cannabis tourism in the Kootenay Rockies by implementing surveys to the region. Further industry engagement on how to mitigate the barriers to success for cannabis tourism can be implemented such as further communication with the regions stakeholders (cannabis operators, industry associations (Canadian Cannabis Tourism Alliance), residents, and visitors). 5. Summary This project identified and explored opportunities related to the development of cannabis tourism within the Kootenay Rockies Tourism (KRT) Region. Through a targeted literature review, this project aimed to address the following questions: 4. What are the drivers and risks of cannabis tourism? 5. What are the models and opportunities for cannabis tourism? 6. Who is the potential target market and what is the cross over with the region’s current target market? To accomplish the goals of the project and answer the research questions a literature review and content analysis were completed and a report summarizing the findings was prepared. Key Findings Cannabis tourism is defined as “the act of travelling or vacationing to a place because of the ability to purchase cannabis legally” (Taylor, 2019, as cited in Kang & McGrady, 2020). Cannabis tourism is a new niche market that has brought business opportunities and operational challenges to the hospitality and tourism industries (Kang, O’Leary, and Miller, 2016, as cited in McGrady et al., 2020). Drivers of Cannabis Tourism • Rural regions benefit from economic diversification. Partnership between the tourism sector and the cannabis industry provides an opportunity for economic diversification. • An appellation framework for cannabis in the Kootenay Rockies region could protect the culture and authenticity of cannabis and lower stigma associated with cannabis. Risks of Cannabis Tourism • The difference in perceptions and treatment of cannabis across levels of government, policies, and participating organizations. • Not acknowledging resident perceptions towards cannabis tourism development or obtaining community support prior to development of cannabis tourism. • Sufficient digital access is necessary to improve the quality and safety of tourist experiences. Many farms are in remote locations creating barriers of entry for cannabis tourism operators due to connectivity challenges. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 18 07/05 • Amenity migration driven by a “green rush” could add to housing issues, including availability and affordability due to an influx of people. • Indoor cannabis cultivation and the tourism industry both contribute to greenhouse gas emissions posing a threat to environmentally sustainable economic development. Models and Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism • Two comparable jurisdictions in which transferrable cannabis tourism models and opportunities can be developed include Denver, Colorado and Humboldt County, California. Selected models reviewed: 1. A model which considers resident perception and place attachment after cannabis legalization and prior to cannabis tourism development. 2. A model which explores potential future barriers to market entry: legal and financial constraints, lack of infrastructure, and lack of education around recreational cannabis. 3. Three comparable tourism sectors from which cannabis tourism sector models can be developed include agritourism, wine and craft beer tourism. Selected models included: • Opportunities for a cannabis tourism implementation model during shoulder season were also identified. Shoulder season is the off season for summer and winter tourism. • Select models recommended: 1. An agritourism systems model which considers effective partnerships and communication between tourism providers, DMO’s and tourists. 2. A model which explores turning steps of the value chain into experiences including touring facilities, learning about cultivation, experiencing how the final product is made, and enjoying tastings. 3. A model which explores sensory experiences which uses consumer senses to enhance tourism experiences. Cannabis tourism opportunities relevant for the KRT region were identified and categorized into: 1. Current opportunities: cannabis tours, educational experiences, museums and art galleries, recreation, camping and cannabis friendly accommodations. 2. Potential opportunities pending change in policy: farm-gate and direct delivery program, and on-site consumption. The optimal timeframe identified for cannabis tourism opportunities was shoulder season. Demand for Cannabis Tourism • The current target market for the KRT region is identified using the following Explorer Quotient (EQ): authentic experiencers, cultural explorers, free spirits, and gentle explorers. • There are three clusters of cannabis tourists identified for a current target market profile: cannabis enthusiasts, diversionists, and those who are cannabis curious. • Each EQ can fall into a cannabis tourist cluster based on travel motivations: • Authentic experiencers and gentle explorers classify as cannabis curious. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 19 07/05 • Cultural explorers and free spirits classify as diversionists. Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 20 07/05 6. References About Us | HiBnb. (n.d.). Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.hibnb.ca/about-us/ BC Chamber of Commerce. (n.d.). Unlocking BC’s cannabis industry. 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Journal of Tourism Anf Leisure Studies, 5(1), 9–28. https://doi.org/10.18848/2470-9336/CGP/v05i01/9-28 Pachmayer, A., Switzer, R., & Reilly, S. (2021). Cannabis Tourism and the Community: Resident Attitudes in Humboldt County, California. 5(6). Province of British Columbia. (n.d.). Cannabis - What’s legal? Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/cannabis/whats-legal Ramsey, D., & Malcolm, C. D. (2018). The importance of location and scale in rural and small town tourism produc...: Books, Media, Articles, and More. The Canadian Geographer. https://eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=d807081d-0f67-47b1-b3027ca1fa6d6d51%40redis Reilly, S., Switzer, R., & Pachmayer, A. (2021). Cannabis Tourism in Humboldt County - Moving Forward. Recreation Tourism. https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/rectourism/4 RWE Navigator. (n.d.). Conducting a literature review. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://rwenavigator.eu/using-the-navigator-decision-support-tool/clarify-the-issues/drivers-ofeffectiveness/methods-to-explore-doe/literature-to-explore-or-identify-drivers-of-effectiveness/ Statistics Canada. (2019). Classifying Cannabis in the Canadian Statistical System. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects/standard/cannabis/cannabis Statistics Canada. (2021). Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Kootenay [Economic region], British Columbia. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dppd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=kootenay&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&DGUIDli st=2021S05005940 Stoa, R. (2018). Craft Weed: Family Farming and the Future of the Marijuana Industry. MIT Press. Thach, L. (2017). Six Ways Wine and Weed are Similar -- and One Major Difference. https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/188022/ Town of Smiths Falls & Strategic Partners. (2019). Smiths Falls Cannabis Tourism Strategy 2019-2020. https://www.smithsfalls.ca/media/2019/09/Attachment_Cannabis-tourism-Strategy-2.pdf United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2020). UNWTO Recommendations on Tourism and Rural Development – A Guide to Making Tourism an Effective Tool for Rural Development. In UNWTO Recommendations on Tourism and Rural Development – A Guide to Making Tourism an Effective Tool for Rural Development. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284422173 Wen, J., Meng, F., Ying, T., & Belhassen, Y. (2020). A study of segmentation of cannabis-oriented tourists from China based on motivation. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(1), 36–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1584608 Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 22 07/05 Yakowicz, W., & Kelleher, Suzanne. R. (2022). Cannabis Tourism Is Now A $17 Billion Industry—And It’s Just Taking Off. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2022/05/29/cannabistourism-is-now-a-17-billion-industry-and-its-just-taking-off/?sh=16c93b7f2056 Zheng, Z., Fiddes, K., & Yang, L. (2021). A narrative review on environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Journal of Cannabis Research 2021 3:1, 3(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/S42238021-00090-0 Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 23 07/05 Appendix A: Cannabis Businesses in KRT Region Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 24 07/05 Appendix B: Cannabis Retail Stores in KRT Region Name 450155 - Kootenay Cannabis 450115 - Cannabis Corner 450095 - Jimmy's Cannabis Shop 450032 - SpiritLeaf 450029 - CannaLand Cannabis Ltd. 450009 - The Higher Path 450274 - EK Cannabis 450260 - Mountain Cannabis Co. 450132 - Clarity Cannabis 450111 - Jimmy's Cannabis Shop 450087 - Prime Cannabis 450081 - Our Cabin 450428 - Abraxas Cannabis Co. Licence Type Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Establishment Address Street Establishment Address City Establishmen t Address Postal Code LG / IN 1306 Columbia Ave Castlegar V1N2L2 Castlegar 630 17 Street Castlegar V1N4G7 Castlegar 107-1983 Columbia Ave Castlegar V1N2W8 Castlegar 114-1502 Columbia Ave Castlegar V1N4G5 Castlegar 595 18 St 102-2032 Columbia Avenue Castlegar V1N2N1 Castlegar Castlegar V1N2W7 Castlegar 12 9th Ave S Cranbrook V1C2L8 Cranbrook Suite A 21 Cranbrook St N Cranbrook V1C3P7 Cranbrook 1325B Cranbrook St Cranbrook V1C3S7 Cranbrook 1225 Cranbrook Street N Unit A-20 7th Avenue South Cranbrook V1C3S6 Cranbrook Cranbrook V1C2J1 Cranbrook 930 Baker St Cranbrook Crescent Valley V1C1A5 Cranbrook Central Kootenay Regional District 1290 Highway 6 V0G1H0 Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 25 07/05 450189 - Quantum 1 Cannabis Creston 450100 - Jimmy's Cannabis Shop Kootenays 450058 - Creston Valley Cannabis Company 450395 - The Cabin Cannabis 450180 - Earth's Own Naturals Ltd. 450052 - Stick & Stone Cannabis Co 450049 - Summit Cannabis Co 450282 - Valley Pineapple 450172 - Quartz Creek Cannabis 450171 - Canyon Creek Cannabis 450143 - Invermere Cannabis Store 450010 - BLOOMING WORLD CANNABIS 450001 - Earth's Own Naturals Ltd. 450000 - Tamarack Cannabis Boutique 450264 - Mount Odin Cannabis 450230 - The Green Room 450197 - The POTORIUM Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store 908 Northwest Blvd 5-1000 Northwest Boulevard Creston V0B1G4 Creston Creston V0B1G6 Creston 137 15th Ave N. Unit 3 4992 Fairmont Frontage Road Creston Fairmont Hot Springs V0B1G0 V0B1L1 Creston East Kootenay Regional District 502 8th Avenue Fernie V0B1M5 Fernie 891 7th Avenue Fernie V0B1M0 Fernie 1161A-7th Ave Fernie V0B1M0 Fernie 1939 Main St Fruitvale V0G1L0 Fruitvale (Village of) 102 -616 8th Ave N Golden V0A1H0 Golden 828 10th Avenue South Golden V0A1H0 4884 Athalmer Rd Invermere V0A1K3 Golden East Kootenay Regional District 103-905 7th avenue Invermere V0A1K0 Invermere 148 Howard Street Kimberley V1A2G6 Kimberley (City of) 2-518 304 St Kimberley V1A3H5 Kimberley (City of) 312 Broadway St. W Nakusp V0G1R0 Nakusp 306B Victoria Street Nelson V1L4K4 Nelson A-471 Baker Street Nelson V1L4H7 Nelson Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 26 07/05 450124 - Buddy's Place 450062 - The Kootenays Cannabis Tree 450410 - Blooming World Cannabis 450300 - Revelsmoke 450255 - Dream Lounge Cannabis 450193 - Fresh Cannabis Co. 450047 - Summit Cannabis Company 450069 - Jimmy's Cannabis Shop 450473 - Salmo Cannabis Corporation 450433 - Elk Valley Cannabis 450254 - Green Pineapple 450161 - Earth to Sky Cannabis 450122 - Buddy's Place 450103 - Green Pineapple Bernard 450040 - The Green Pineapple 450017 - Trail Bud-A-Bong Shop 450006 - The Higher Path Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store Cannabis Retail Store 358 Baker St Nelson V1L4H5 Nelson 106-601 Front St Nelson Radium Hot Springs V1L4B6 Nelson V0A1M0 Radium Hot Springs 204-C First Street W 113 Second Street East Unit B Revelstoke V0E2S0 Revelstoke (City of) Revelstoke V0E2S0 Revelstoke (City of) 427 2nd Street East Revelstoke V0E2S0 Revelstoke (City of) 109 Connaught Ave Revelstoke V0E2S0 Revelstoke (City of) 2123 Columbia Ave. Rossland V0G1Y0 Rossland 409A Railway Avenue Salmo V0G1Z0 Salmo 127 Centennial Square #3 Sparwood V0B2G0 Sparwood 100-890 Schofield Hwy Trail V1R2G9 Warfield 1463 Bay Ave Trail V1R4A9 Trail 1198 Pine Ave Trail V1R3T9 Trail 1205 Bay Avenue Trail V1R4A5 Trail 870 B Schofield Hwy Trail V1R2G9 Warfield 876 Rossland Ave Trail V1R3N3 Trail 1320 Cedar Avenue Trail V1R4C2 Trail 7535 Main Street W Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 27 07/05 BC Cannabis Store BC Cannabis Store Government Retail Government Retail 102 - 425 Victoria Avenue North, Cranbrook V1C6S3 Cranbrook 122 - 8100 3B Hwy, Trail V1R4N7 Trail Exploring Opportunities for Cannabis Tourism 28 07/05 301 Frank Beinder Way, Castlegar, BC V1N 4L3 phone 250.365.7292 toll free 1.888.953.1133 email info@selkirk.ca selkirk.ca