When you create a new listing in ATIS, you must choose one category and up to three product types that best describe your business or offering.
This article explains how to choose the right ATIS category and product types for your listing.
What are ATIS categories and product types?
Categories organize toursim listings on travelalberta.com.
Each listing is assigned one category. In ATIS, choose the category that best describes your offering from one of these six options:
- Accommodations
- Food and drink
- Rentals and services
- Things to do
- Transportation
- Visitor information
Product types are subcategories that describe your listing in more detail. In ATIS, you can choose up to three product types to help travellers filter search results and find experiences that match their interests.
For example, if your business is called Hoodoos Trail Hike, the category might be Things to do, and the product types might be Hiking, Biking and Backpacking.
How to choose the right ATIS category
Choose the category that best represents your main offering.
If more than one category could apply, select the one that most clearly describes what travellers would expect to find in your listing.
If you need help deciding which category or product type fits your listing, review the ATIS Category and Product Types list below.
When to create more than one listing
Some tourism businesses offer more than one distinct product or experience.
If your business fits into more than one category, create a separate listing for each offering instead of combining them in one listing.
Separate listings can help travellers find each offering more easily through search and filters on travelalberta.com.
Example: If your business includes both accommodation and an on-site restaurant, create one listing under Accommodations and a second listing under Food and drink.
How to change a category or type in ATIS
To update the category or product types for an existing listing:
- Sign in to your ATIS account.
- From the Dashboard, use the main menu to open My Listings.
- Select the listing you’d like to update
- In the Basic Info section, click the Edit button next to Category.
- Choose the updated Category, then click Continue.
- Select up to three Product Types.
- If none of the available options fit your tourism offering, select None of these accurately describe my product.
- Select Save Changes
Tip: Use the search bar at the top of My Listings to find a listing by name or keywords from its description. Learn how search works.
After updating your tourism offering, you must re-submit your listing for review. The Travel Alberta team will review your submission within 72 hours and email you about its approval.
ATIS category and product type definitions
You can choose from various categories and product types when creating a new listing on travelalberta.com.
Accommodations
Accommodations allow at least one night’s stay and are available to the general public on a consistent or seasonal basis.
- Bed and breakfast
- Cabins and huts
- Campgrounds and RV parks
- Glamping
- Hostels
- Hotels
- Motels and inns
- Lodges
- Ranch and farm stays
- Tipis
- Vacation rentals
Food and drink
The food and drink category is for establishments that serve and prepare food or beverages for consumption. Chains cannot have an ATIS listing unless they are Alberta-based with fewer than nine locations.
- Bars and pubs
- Breakfast and brunch
- Breweries
- Buffets
- Coffee shops, café and bakeries
- Cooking classes
- Confectioneries
- Diners
- Distilleries
- Ice Cream
- Restaurants
- Wineries
Things to do
These are activities, events or experiences that attract tourists.
These are specific locations considered places of interest, typically for their cultural value, historical significance or adventure and amusement opportunities.
Product type:
- Agriculture
- Archaeological
- Architecture
- Arenas, stadiums and fields
- Art galleries
- Churches and cathedrals
- Ghost towns
- Gondola and tramways
- Historic sites
- Indigenous experiences
- Libraries
- Mines
- Monuments and statues
- Museums
- Nature and wildlife centres
- Neighbourhoods
- Observation decks
- Observatories and planetariums
- Public art
- Roadside attractions
- Scenic drives
- Science centres
- Theatres and performance venues
- Via ferrata
- Zip lining and rope courses
- Zoos
This can include any musical performance, from rock concerts to symphonies, as well as film, video and literary arts produced or performed by professional or semi-professional organizations.
Product type:
- Ballet and dance
- Comedy clubs
- Concerts
- Dinner theatres
- Live music
- Operas
- Symphonies
- Theatre and musicals
A themed single or multi-day event centered around entertainment or cultural activities.
Product types:
- Agriculture and rodeo
- Conventions & Conferences
- Cultural events
- Fairs and exhibitions
- Film festivals
- Food and drink festivals
- Music festivals
- Powwows
- Seasonal events
- Sporting events
This includes a wide range of mental or physical activities or competitions meant to amuse or challenge the participants.
Product type:
- Arcades
- Amusement and theme parks
- Axe throwing
- Bowling
- Casinos
- Climbing gyms
- Curling
- Escape rooms
- Golf simulators
- Lessons, workshops and classes
- Mini golf
- Pottery
- Race tracks
- Rec centres and sports complexes
- Skating rinks
- Skateparks and pump tracks
- Shooting ranges
- Water parks and pools
This includes scenic, historic, natural or man-made geographic regions meant to attract visitors.
Product types:
- Beaches
- Canyons
- Caves
- City, municipal and regional parks
- Conservatories and gardens
- Dark sky preserve
- Glaciers
- Hot springs
- Lakes and rivers
- Lookout points
- Marinas
- Mountains
- National parks
- Provincial parks and recreation areas
- Trails
- Waterfalls
These are recreational activities that occur in a natural or open-air environment. Some require specific equipment or skills.
Product types:
- Archery
- Backpacking
- Balloon rides
- Biking
- Canyoning
- Caving
- Cross-country skiing
- Disc golf
- Dog sledding
- Equestrian and horseback
- Fat biking
- Fishing and fly fishing
- Golf
- Hang gliding and paragliding
- Helicopter & Scenic Flights
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Ice climbing
- Ice fishing
- Ice skating
- Motorcycling
- Motorsports
- Mountaineering
- Nature walks
- Northern lights and stargazing
- Off-roading
- Rock climbing
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Skydiving
- Snowmobiling
- Snowshoeing
- Tubing and sledding
- Wildlife viewing
This includes commercial locations that sell goods and provide consumers with a unique shopping or retail experience. Chain stores may be considered if they are unique to Alberta and have fewer than five locations.
Product type:
- Antique and vintage
- Artisan and craft goods
- Clothing and apparel
- Farmers’ market
- Gift and souvenirs
- Home goods
- Malls
- Retail outlet
- Sporting goods
- Street markets
These are facilities offering a variety of physical or mental wellness-focused services. Spas may be part of a hotel or in a standalone building, but they must offer a full range of services.
Product types:
- Day spas
- Massage therapy
- Mediation
- Resort spas
- Retreats
- Saunas
- Wellness centres
- Yoga and Pilates
Individuals or businesses in this category deliver guided or self-guided tours on a regular schedule or can provide custom experiences upon request. Guided operators must have insurance and a licence to operate under this premise.
Product type:
- Adventure tours
- Bus tours
- Guided tours
- Multi-day tours
- Photography tours
- Ranch and farm tours
- Scenic drives
- Self-guided tours
- Sightseeing tours
- Tasting tours
- Walking tours
These include recreational activities that take place on or in water. Some require specific equipment or skills.
Product types:
- Boating
- Canoeing and kayaking
- River rafting and tubing
- River surfing
- Scuba and snorkelling
- Stand-up paddleboarding
- Swimming
- Waterskiing and jet skiing
- Wind and kitesurfing
Transportation
Businesses and organizations in this category provide transportation services to travellers.
- Airport
- Bus
- Ferries
- Public transit
- Rail
- Transfers and shuttles
Rentals and services
Businesses or organizations offering rental of equipment, venues, coworking spaces, or event planning services for travellers.
- Outdoor Gear
- Sporting Equipment
- Lessons
- Group Venues
- Business Venues
- Coworking
- Wedding Venues
- Event Planning
Visitor information
Businesses and organizations that provide travellers with essential details and assistance to help them navigate their destinations.
- Border crossing
- Visitor information centre
Get help with ATIS categories and product types
The Travel Alberta team is committed to continuously enhancing ATIS's functionality, guided by user and partner feedback. ATIS includes built-in prompts that will allow you to suggest new product types while creating your listing.
If none of the available product types accurately describe your offering, contact ATIS Support at atissupport@travelalberta.com.
ATIS Inquiries/Support
Access to support and information from Alberta Tourism Information Service Listings with Travel Alberta
