Lake Louise in Banff National Park is one of Alberta's most popular tourist destinations. (Image Credit: (c) Stevengaertner | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

Tourist spending in Alberta reaches record $15.2 billion in 2025

Feb 20, 2026 | 2:53 PM

For the second year in a row, Alberta set new records for visitor spending.

The provincial government reports that tourists spent $15.2 billion in Alberta this past year, an increase of six per cent from 2024.

That rate of growth is nearly double the national average.

The tourism sector supports more than 86,000 full-time jobs, and grew by seven per cent this past year.

It accounts for more than 10 per cent of Alberta’s workforce.

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Tourism Minister Andrew Boitchenko says the success was felt in communities across the province.

“These record-breaking results show that Alberta’s tourism strategy is working. By investing in our destinations, strengthening partnerships and expanding air access, we are growing our economy, creating jobs and showcasing Alberta to the world,” says Boitchenko.

The government states in a news release that Alberta was one of the only provinces to experience growth in international visitors, which rose by four per cent.

A recent part of the plan to increase tourist spending was to expand air access to key overseas markets like Mexico, South Korea and Japan.

Alberta is home to world-renowned mountain landscapes, urban centres, Indigenous tourism experiences, and rural gems, which the province says make it a premier destination of choice.

A goal of the government’s is to increase annual visitor spending to $25 billion.