Drumheller is a town in the Badlands of east-central Alberta located about 100 kilometres from Calgary.  In addition to its unique terrain, the Badlands around Drumheller are rich in fossils and dinosaur bones.  the vision for the Canadian Badlands area is for a region that will become a major iconic destination for the province, complementing the role of the Canadian Rockies in encouraging travel to and within the province.  MGP and subconsultant ERA were retained to prepare an assessment of the Badlands resource base and the regional capacity to  sell  eco-tourism    experiences  to   the

market place.  The study process included a tour of regional destination areas and attractions, compilation of an inventory of regional assets, analysis of data from tourist surveys, a comparative analysis of similar destination areas, estimation of total visitation and market share, and a facilitated workshop with regional stakeholders.  A second contract generated a summary presentation to workshops in four regional centres to promote discussion of how to implement a regional approach to developing and promoting the Badlands experience.  In 2009, MGP was retained by Canadian Badlands Ltd. to developa Destination Assessment Tool, a tool that guides its users through an assessment of a tourist destination's market status.  This tool will be used by the client to guide the assessment and future development of identified tourist hubs, secondary destinations, and touring and service stops.