Today’s Twenty-Four examines the latest travel trends in Alberta and their implications for the provincial tourism sector.

The ongoing trade dispute with the United States has led to a decrease in Canadian travel to the U.S. Consequently, more Canadians are choosing to explore other international destinations or spend their leisure time at domestic attractions.

As of September, the number of Canadian residents returning from the U.S. by road and air has seen a year-to-date (YTD) decrease of 29% compared to the same period last year. Although not as large of a decrease, the number of Albertans* travelling to the U.S. was down by 15%. 

Conversely, the number of U.S. travellers returning from Alberta via road and air increased by 6.7% YTD, partly influenced by a more favourable exchange rate this year. In addition, there was a 1.8% uptick in visitor arrivals from other international destinations during the same period.

The impact of these shifts is evident in national park attendance figures. In August, visits to Alberta's national parks surpassed 1.5 million, setting an all-time high for any month and exceeding the previous peak set in July 2017 by 7.1%.

Jasper National Park welcomed nearly 500,000 visitors in August, a new peak, which is a remarkable feat given the devastating wildfires in July last year. Those fires had caused attendance to plummet to zero in August and September 2024, and remain subdued until March 2025. 

However, as we’ve previously discussed, overnight tourism stays in Jasper are still not back to normal. Much of the park visitor traffic reflects same-day visits and reconstruction crews. Approximately 20-25% of the park's hotels and campsite capacity was destroyed, meaning that despite strong occupancy rates, total room sales are still well below average. We estimate that the fires resulted in over $200 million worth of lost tourism spending in summer 2024 alone. Full recovery from the damage is estimated to take up to 10 years.

Meanwhile, Banff National Park also achieved a new attendance high with almost 786,000 visits in August. While this is a positive development, concerns about overcrowding have prompted efforts to boost winter visitation, aiming for more balanced year-round tourism.

Initiatives such as the "Canada Strong Pass," which has been renewed for summer 2026, are likely having a positive impact on park attendance.

Looking ahead, strong visitor numbers are anticipated to continue, as more Canadians, including snowbirds, are opting to stay within Canada or travel to non-U.S. locations during the winter months. Also, changing travel-related rules and restrictions are likely to further reduce the desire of Canadians to go to the United States.

*Travel statistics refer to the location of entry into Canada for Canadian residents, U.S. residents and non-U.S. foreign residents. As a result, while it is likely that many Canadians entering Canada via Alberta are Alberta residents, not all of them will be. At the same time, some Alberta residents may be returning to Canada via other provinces.

Answer to the previous trivia question: The federal budget was $14 million in 1867 (roughly $300 million in today’s dollars or $88 per person in the country at the time).

Today’s trivia question: The federal government’s annual budget covers what time period?