Travel Alberta

Exciting news for Alberta’s ski community! 🎿 Castle Mountain Resort is installing its first high-speed quad on Mt. Haig, transforming its current cat skiing terrain into an accessible area for more skiers and riders. This lift, formerly Sunshine Village’s Angel Express Quad, will undergo a full refurbishment during the 2024/25 season and is set to debut in 2025/26. This investment will attract countless more outdoor adventure enthusiasts to get a taste of the incredible terrain and snowfall of Alberta's Rockies, solidifying Alberta's position as a premier winter travel destination. https://lnkd.in/gqUMSa8H

And just like that, we’re stepping into the new year with exciting momentum! In the first half of 2024, visitor spending in Alberta soared to $6 billion - compared to $5.2 billion in the first half of 2023 - a strong signal that we’re on track to exceed our industry goals for the year. This achievement reflects the collective effort of our incredible tourism community. From individual operators to DMO partners and our team here at Travel Alberta, everyone has played a vital role in building the strongest visitor economy Alberta has ever seen. Together, we’re creating the conditions for success and showcasing Alberta as a world-class destination. Here’s to continued collaboration and even greater milestones ahead in 2025!

A year-end message from our CEO David F. Goldstein: This is a very exciting time for Alberta’s tourism sector. Over the past year, we’ve made great strides in demonstrating the power of the visitor economy to Albertans, entrepreneurs, and investors. And we’re gaining real momentum. More travellers are choosing Alberta, spending more and staying longer, with direct air access to our destinations. And many potential investors are responding to our invitation to come make their mark in Alberta’s visitor economy. I want to personally thank each of you for your hard work this year, and I look forward to connecting in the new year as we continue our course to $25 billion in visitor spend by 2035. Wishing everyone a safe and joyful 2025! Indigenous Tourism Alberta Tourism Industry Association of Alberta (TIAA) Tourism Calgary Explore Edmonton Corporation Banff & Lake Louise Tourism Tourism Canmore Kananaskis Tourism Jasper Travel Drumheller Tourism Medicine Hat Tourism Lethbridge Tourism Red Deer

OpenTable’s 2024 list of Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants highlights Alberta’s growing influence in the culinary scene, with 16 exceptional Alberta restaurants making the prestigious list. Calgary leads the charge with 11 restaurants listed, while Edmonton has three favourites with outstanding scores: - Bernadette's – Nearly perfect ratings for food, service, and ambience (4.9 overall) - Sabor Restaurant – A stellar 4.9 for food and 4.8 for service and ambience - Tzin Wine & Tapas – A strong return to the list with perfect service scores (4.7 overall) Open Table also announced evolving dining trends across Canada, including: - A 16% increase in mid-week dining, particularly on Wednesdays - Early evening dining (4-6 p.m.) is on the rise - Group dining has surged by 18%, emphasizing the demand for shared culinary experiences Tourism Calgary Explore Edmonton Corporation https://lnkd.in/gzsnHsu4

As the year comes to a close, we want to extend our warmest wishes to everyone. Whether you're exploring Alberta's winter wonderland or cosying up at home, we hope your holiday season is filled with joy, relaxation and time with loved ones. Happy Holidays from all of us at Travel Alberta ❄️

Congratulations are in order for our CEO, David F. Goldstein  and destination development manager, Christopher Smith  who each received the Service Award from the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society  this week! This award is presented to people who have demonstrated a commitment to serving the outfitting industry, either in their role as a staff of the Government of Alberta or through a connection otherwise. Congratulations David, Christopher and all other winners recognized throughout the evening! Outfitters play an integral role in the tourism industry of Alberta, helping visitors connect with the province's incredible landscapes and outdoor adventures. Their work ensures that Alberta remains a world-class destination for hunting, fishing, and other guided wilderness experiences. Select photos by Kirsten Buyer

To close out our #10DaysofTourism, we’re reflecting on last year’s Winter of Warmth tour. Alberta’s tourism industry is alive with potential and innovation, and last winter, Minister Joseph Schow and our CEO, David F. Goldstein, met with operators and communities across the province to gain valuable insights into their opportunities and challenges. Fostering the growth of year-round tourism remains a top priority as we continue working to make Alberta a destination of choice for travellers from around the world.

On day nine of #10DaysofTourism, we are celebrating the many honours we received this year. Our mighty team continues to deliver award-winning campaigns and strategies that deserve to be celebrated! Congratulations to all teams involved in these achievements, including our partners C&B Advertising and Evans Hunt. - Our Tourism Development Zones (TDZ) initiative won best in the Industry Innovator category at the 2024 Skift Idea Awards - Sky Painter and To Be Albertan won awards from the 2024 World Tourism Film Awards, Canadian Marketing Awards and Japan World Tourism Film Festival Awards - Our immersive 3D maps won several awards, including a Skift Idea Awards and a CIO award (IDC) Canada and Foundry’s CIO) - Sky Painter was recognized at the 2024 Anvils Awards in the music design, video (non-broadcast/online long-form) and art direction categories (Ad Rodeo Association) - www.travelalberta.com was recognized in two categories, Tourism Website and Accessibility Website, at this year's Web Excellence Awards.  - And all the additional awards we were recognized for this year! https://lnkd.in/gnBVSyuV https://lnkd.in/gKekmuJd https://lnkd.in/e6eP-_R https://lnkd.in/g83iq3qb https://lnkd.in/gGsP3fq https://lnkd.in/gnvjxR5d

This September, in collaboration with our valued partners at Indigenous Tourism Alberta, we proudly released a joint Engagement Report—a key milestone stemming from our renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2023. This report reflects our shared vision for tourism development and relationship building, offering insights into our individual and collective histories and the evolving river of relationships we continue to nurture. On day eight of #10DaysofTourism, we are reflecting on the importance of this engagement report. As we look ahead, our partnership will remain guided by shared values: mutual respect, reciprocity, and a deep sense of responsibility. Read the full report below. https://lnkd.in/gpVYH4Vp

Our 2024 recap wouldn't be complete without mention of Jasper's incredible recovery story. This past summer, a devastating fire impacted Jasper National Park and the Jasper townsite, testing the strength of one of Canada’s most iconic destinations. In true Alberta spirit, communities came together to support Jasper’s recovery while Jasperites began building back and turning this hardship into a story of resilience and determination. Today, we celebrate Jasper’s unwavering spirit and the progress made in rebuilding after such a challenging season. As winter covers the Rockies, the best way to support Jasper’s continued recovery is to visit, explore, and support local businesses. #10DaysofTourism Tourism Jasper