Net Gains Include More Canadian Dollars : Tourism: Hockey will mean an extra lure for visitors from north.

Now that the Walt Disney Co. plans to bring professional hockey to the new Anaheim Arena, the Magic Kingdom will be courting Canadians more vigorously than ever, eh?

Disneyland is already packed with more visitors from the Great White North than from any other foreign country. And with combination theme park/hockey travel packages, Disney officials and tourism experts predicted Friday that Canadians will find the region even more attractive.

“Canadian hockey is so popular that when the Edmonton Oilers or Vancouver Canucks (play in Anaheim), a lot of fans will travel to see the game and go to Disneyland,” said Hermina Fischer, a senior marketing representative for Walt Disney Attractions in the Seattle office whose territory includes western Canada.

Disney Chairman Michael Eisner announced Thursday that Disney had been granted a conditional expansion franchise from the National Hockey League to establish a new team in Anaheim. The company said it hoped to profit from the $50-million venture by cross-marketing its theme parks, hotels, movies and merchandise. The games could be televised locally on Disney-owned KCAL-TV, Channel 9.

The televising of the games could be an important marketing tool for Disney. The team’s connection with Disneyland will be readily apparent, serving as a lure to hockey fans to come visit the Magic Kingdom.

“The biggest advantage for Anaheim will be how the team is presented when it hits TV. They could do a ‘swoosh’ introduction that could really promote Disneyland” said John Rasmussen , tourism manager for the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles. “It’s kind of subliminal advertising,”

As many as 5% of the more than 10 million people who visit Disneyland annually are Canadian, sources say. Canadians are the largest single group of foreign tourists, which account for about 20% of the park’s total attendance.

“The Canadian market is important to this area,” said Disneyland President Jack Lindquist. “There is a great influx of Canadians down here.”

The majority of those visiting Southern California visitors are western Canadians, from cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. Eastern Canadians usually go to Walt Disney World in Florida, Disney officials say.

Jim Luce, marketing manager for the Anaheim Marriott Hotel, said that while tour packages are sure to flourish, “I don’t know whether you can get a Canadian to jump on a plane to come see a hockey team.” But, he added, he would like to see close ties with the team as another way of marketing the hotel.

On the bottom line, said Luce, pro hockey will give tourists another reason to stay in Anaheim. “It’s going to be a great addition.”