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Published: October 9, 2025

Alberta is charting a bold new course for tourism investment based on extensive research into high-potential, untapped regions throughout the province. As a result, tourism operators can clearly see where to strategically expand in Alberta regions well-suited for tourism—beyond national parks and major cities.

Through Travel Alberta’s award-winning Tourism Development Zones (TDZs) initiative, we have identified 10 areas with a compelling mix of spectacular scenery, connectivity, alignment with proven demand drivers, and strong potential for growth in tourism revenues. Tourism operators and investors in these areas can become part of compelling new itineraries developed and promoted by Travel Alberta to consumers and tourism trade partners in our key source markets.

Learn how operators and investors can access and leverage our proprietary insights on the TDZs as they decide how to expand to Alberta.

Tourism Development Zones: A Plan for Strategic Geographic Diversification

Today, the majority of tourism expenditures are concentrated in legacy destinations (Banff and Lake Louise, Canmore, Jasper, Calgary, and Edmonton). Travel Alberta has engineered the TDZs to relieve that pressure and ensure that tourism operators can capitalize on the potential in other stunning areas of Alberta—areas already drawing hundreds of thousands of travellers.

The reality is, bringing new accommodations and attractions into national parks such as Banff and Jasper comes with unique challenges due to extremely limited opportunities for new development. By looking instead to TDZs, operators and investors can capitalize on high visitor demand surrounding and beyond those iconic destinations.

Five spotlight destinations represent regions with major growth potential, engaged local leadership, and ripe opportunity in established areas already well-known to regional travellers:

  • Canadian Badlands: Breathtaking landscapes and prehistoric discoveries set the scene with visitor spend projected to more than double from 2024’s $415 million to $786 million by 2035. More than two million people live within two hours’ drive of the region and Calgary’s international airport is also just two hours by car.
  • Foothills: Featuring rolling farmland with the Rocky Mountains in the distance, this region is ripe for luxury ranch experiences with visitor spend projected to grow from $177 million to $336 million by 2035. Key communities are one hour’s drive or less from Calgary.
  • Northern Rockies: A wild playground under the Northern Lights beckons adventure travellers, with a visitor spend projected to grow from $580 million to $1 billion by 2035. The area’s gateway town of Hinton is an hour north of world-renowned Jasper National Park.
  • Southern Rockies: World-class skiing, incredible heritage, protected dark skies, and mountain resort potential combine with visitor spend projected to grow from $318 million to $601 million by 2035. This region in the southwest corner of the province reaches the U.S. border and includes Waterton National Park, which drew more than 550,000 visitors in 2024.
  • David Thompson: This wild expanse near the Canadian Rockies has the potential to rival Jasper National Park as a tourism destination. Already famed for the incredible ice bubbles on Abraham Lake, dedicated investment will allow David Thompson to grow from a visitor spend of $258 million to a projected $488 million by 2035.

Another five up-and-coming TDZs have longer-term future growth opportunities and also have proposed development plans in place. Learn more here.

A map of Alberta depicting the 10 areas across the province identified for development.
These carefully defined Tourism Development Zones across the province were reviewed against 35 criteria. Each of them has potential for tourism growth over the next decade. 1. Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo 2. Northern Rockies 3. Northeast Lakelands 4. David Thompson 5. Olds to Lacombe 6. Cochrane to Sundre 7. Canadian Badlands 8. Foothills 9. Lethbridge to Medicine Hat 10. Southern Rockies

Market-Ready Regional Intelligence for Tourism Operators

Travel Alberta’s TDZ strategy is built on deep engagement—over 1,000 stakeholders were consulted across zones—and comprehensive research studies analyzing more than 35 performance metrics. This level of intelligence has been created to support investment decision-making and accelerate investment decision making for tourism operators.

The thorough research into each zone aimed to understand the regions from all angles, including resources available to promote tourism in the area, the labour market, infrastructure, and resident sentiment, as well as identifying tourism product opportunities within the zones.

For operators, having extensive data about each TDZ means immediately gaining a wealth of information to understand which zones are the best match for your offering and business objectives.

Each TDZ also has a regional destination development plan that includes the creation of robust multi-day itineraries designed to increase the length of time visitors stay and how much they spend in the area. In these high-potential regions, operators can offer iconic accommodations and experiences that help define a region and capture unmet demand.

Three riders walking up a hill on horseback in Diamond Valley in fall, with golden trees in the background.
Alberta's Tourism Development Zones already attract visitors, but there is great potential for these travellers to stay longer and spend more during their visits. Travel Alberta has identified key demand drivers in each region, including experiences and accommodations that can help define an area for years to come.

Demand-Driven Tourism Experiences

Each TDZ was analyzed to determine the types of products, accommodation, and experiences that will best fit the demand in each area, from outdoor adventures and boutique stays to wellness experiences and luxury retreats. This targeted approach provides operators with clear market intelligence on which experiences align with consumer demand in each area.

Whether it is a luxury glamping resort in the Canadian Badlands, all-season resort development in the Southern Rockies, or rugged adventure tourism in the Northern Rockies, Alberta’s TDZs allow operators and investors to match supply with evolving traveller expectations.

If one of these offerings aligns with your business and you’re interested in learning more about the zone as a place to expand, we invite you to contact our Investor Concierge team to learn more today.

Discover Alberta’s Tourism Development Zone Data

For tourism operators seeking strategic expansion, Alberta’s Tourism Development Zones offer a blueprint for growth. Backed by data, driven by demand, and supported by projected growth potential, TDZs are Alberta’s most targeted tourism investment initiative to date.

Connect with Travel Alberta’s Investor Concierge today to access custom insights, site selection support, and more.

Headshot of Kristi Cox

Kristi Cox

Director

Investor Services

403-648-1070

Connect with Travel Alberta's Investor Concierge Services

Related Resources:

What the Alberta Advantage Means for Tourism Operators and Investors

Tourism operators have chosen Alberta as their destination for strategic expansion in North America. They are capitalizing on the province's low taxes, stunning locations with international connectivity, record-breaking visitor demand, and an incredible depth of data and market insights available through Travel Alberta’s Investor Concierge.

Read more

Where to Invest in Alberta

Following extensive research and engagement, we identified 10 high-potential Tourism Development Zones primed for growth over the next decade. Learn which region is the ideal match for your offering.

Read more

Why Invest in Alberta

Alberta is a renowned tourism destination with an abundance of opportunity for investment. Its natural attractions provide a stunning backdrop for year-round adventures.

Download the Alberta factsheet now