BUDGETS, PRICING POLICIES AND USER FEES IN CANADIAN PARKS TOURISM

The nature-based tourism industry in Canada is substantially based upo n an extensive system of national and provincial parks. Over the last two decades public demand has resulted in increases in the number of p arks and in tourism use. However, fiscal restraint has caused budget r eduction with the associated loss of management effectiveness. What fi scal and management responses have there been to this problem? This pa per summarizes the data from a national survey of all provincial, terr itorial and national park agencies' budget, fiscal and pricing policie s. Two major observations are evident. One is the continuing loss of m anagement capability due to the reliance on insufficient government fu nding for capital and operational needs. The other is a shift from gov ernment budget funding to a higher utilization of tourism-based fees a nd charges. Overall the trend is away from tax-based government alloca tions, towards income derived from fees fbr the services and facilitie s provided to the park visitors. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd, All ri ghts reserved.