Alberta tourism rebounds to pre-pandemic levels

Sport and tourism minister Joseph Schow said Monday it was great to see such a prominent sector rebound to the level is has.

“There is no debate: Alberta is a premier destination for international travellers, and the demand to visit our province has never been higher,” Schow said in a statement.

“Increased visitor spending bolsters activity at local businesses and creates jobs not just in Edmonton and Calgary but across Alberta,” he added.

Alberta in February revealed a new comprehensive tourism strategy officials said will boost the provincial economy by billions.

Travel Alberta has been focused on growing air service to places in Asia, Europe, and the United States, hoping to generate the greatest return on investment for the provincial economy.

Chief commercial officer Jon Mamela estimated the collaboration with airlines is on track to generate more than $6 in visitor spending for every dollar spent on inbound air-route capacity.

“As a primarily fly-to destination for many visitors, Travel Alberta is thrilled to see investment in the Air Access Program has resulted in the strong growth of tourism spending from international travellers to Alberta during the first three quarters of 2023,” Mamela said.

“We look forward to continuing these efforts to expand air access to the province, sharing more of our beautiful backyard with the world.”

The Alberta government’s goal is to increase tourism spending to $25 billion annually by 2035.