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Higher fees and separation uncertainty could cost Alberta tourism
dollars: report

   Jennifer Keiller
   | CBC News | Posted: April 25, 2026 6:42 PM | Last Updated: 2
   hours ago

   Tourism association says visitors might plan shorter trips,
   businesses rethinking spending plans

   Image | Pedestrians Canmore Main Street

   Caption: Pedestrians walk in Canmore, Alta., on Sept. 3, 2025.
   Alberta has long been a tourism hot spot, but higher taxes on
   visitors, along with uncertainty surrounding a potential vote
   on separation, might be having a chilling effect on the
   province’s tourism industry, according to a new report. (Greg
   Colgan/CBC)
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   With its stunning national parks and can’t-miss events like the
   Calgary Stampede, Alberta has long been a tourism hot spot.
   But higher taxes on visitors, along with uncertainty around a
   potential vote on separation, might have a chilling effect on
   the province’s tourism industry, according to a new report.
   The Tourism Industry Association of Albertan warns the fees
   could amount to annual losses of $164 million in visitor
   spending.
   On April 1, the province upped the tourism levy from four to
   six per cent, increasing the fee for anyone booking hotels in
   the province. Next year, a new rental car tax will kick in,
   charging customers six per cent of the base cost of the
   vehicle.
   Darren Reader, the association's CEO, says the fees could
   dispel some from visiting — including homegrown tourists.
   He says Albertans count for three quarters of tourism spending
   in the province.
   “Albertans that have a whole number of maybe summer experiences
   that they like to engage in are going to start to try to
   rationalize those costs [and] say maybe we won’t go as long, or
   maybe we won’t go as far,” Reeder said.

   Image | Shutterstock - Huge file

   Caption: (Ronnie Chua/Shutterstock)
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   The Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association says the levy
   increase risks visitor spending at a time when cost of living
   is front of mind.
     * Alberta government aims to protect consumers from
       potentially misleading hotel fees with new bill

   “Accommodation is the foundation of the visitor economy, and
   increasing these costs weakens our competitiveness as a
   destination,” Tracy Douglas, CEO of the association said in a
   statement.

Separation unknowns

   The report also suggests concerns around a referendum on
   separation has businesses within the industry reconsidering
   spending.
   More than 40 per cent of tourism businesses surveyed said they
   have already postponed, scaled back or redirected investments,
   like adding new experiences or expanding their locations.
   “Investors typically wait until they can take risk out of the
   environment before moving to the next stage,” Reeder said.
   It could amount to an estimated $271 million dollars in capital
   investments stalled, he said.
   And because every dollar of tourism investment translates
   nearly four-fold in visitor spending, Reeders says that loss
   could end up costing the industry $1 billion in tourism
   dollars.

Minister defends fee increase

   Tourism is a major driver of the province’s economy. Travel
   Alberta estimated $15.2 billion in visitor spending last year,
   making tourism the province's fourth-largest driver of
   international trade.
   Reeder worries any hit to the industry could compromise the
   provincial goal of $25 billion in annual visitor spending by
   2035.
     * Parks Canada works with social media influencers to shape
       visitor behaviour in Banff

     * Town of Banff revamping Canada Day plans after overwhelming
       skijoring crowds

   Tourism Minister Andrew Boitchenko says the province is still
   on track to hit that target. And he says Alberta continues to
   outperform the national average when it comes to tourism
   growth.
   Speaking at the legislature Thursday, he defended the increased
   fees.
   “Every dollar that we are collecting from levies, it goes back
   to general revenue to support Alberta and Albertan families,”
   said Boitchenko.
   “We have to make sure that tourists to our province pay their
   fair share of fees, taxes, when they come to our province,
   because they’re all using our infrastructure.”
   Boitchenko also pointed to major upcoming events that should
   bring a lot of tourism dollars, like this fall's Grey Cup, with
   an estimated $50 million in visitor spending, and next year’s
   World Juniors, projected to generate the same amount.

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