How to add and optimize photos for your listing

The importance of images 

Images play a crucial role in attracting potential travellers to your offering. The photos you choose can be the deciding factor in whether someone selects your offering over another. 

Image requirements 

1. You can add up to nine photos to each listing 
2. Use colour photos with minimal filters 
3. Image file size should not exceed 4.5MB 
4. Images must be at least 1200 x 800 pixels and will be displayed in a 4:3 aspect ratio 
5. Images must be a JPEG, SVG, PNG or GIF 

Image dos and don’ts 

Great photography doesn’t have to break the bank. With these few simple tips, you can achieve impressive results even on a budget. 

Dos: 

1. Ensure your photos feel authentic and are not overly posed. Prioritize images that capture movement and activities that the average visitor can take part in. 
2. Represent individuals of all races, gender identities and ethnicities. If needed, remember to get a model release form. 
3. Choose photos that tell a story, evoke emotion and convey how your offering makes people feel. 
4. For outdoor offerings, focus on the landscape. Let the people and experiences complement the environment. Take your photos on sunny or partly cloudy days and avoid cold, grey skies. 
5. Prioritize investing in high-quality photography and include a professional photographer in your next budget. 

Don’ts: 

1. Don’t submit logos or images with watermarks. 
2. Don’t submit images with text, as they don’t render well across all devices. 
3. Don’t submit dangerous or illegal locations or actions such as walking on railroad tracks, standing too close to a cliff’s edge or doing something explicitly against Parks Canada or Alberta Parks regulations. 
4. Don’t submit photos and film in black and white, sepia or other filters. 
5. Don’t submit distorted or blurred images. 

Uploading new images 

If you’re adding a new offering to ATIS, you can upload images as part of the initial listing setup. Learn more about how to set up your listing. 

Here’s how to update images on an existing listing: 

1. Sign in to ATIS 
2. From your dashboard, navigate to My Listings 
   • On desktop, it’ll be on the left side of your screen 
   • On mobile, it’ll be in the three-line icon at the top right corner of your screen 
3. In the Active tab, choose the listing you want to update 
4. Under the Overview tab, locate the Media section and click Edit to update your images 
   • To add a new image, click Upload Image 
   • To delete an image, click Edit Details on the image you want to remove, then Delete Photo 
5. Optimize your photos by adding a photographer credit, caption and alt text 
   • Click Edit Details on your image to add these optional details for better optimization. 
6. Choose your cover photo 
   • By default, the first image uploaded will be selected 
   • To change this, click Edit Details on your preferred image and check the Make this a cover photo box 
   • Click Save 
7. Click Done 
   • Updates to your listing will require you to re-submit it for approval 

Credits and accessibility 

While providing image details is optional, it’s a great way to enhance your listing and make it accessible to the widest audience possible. 

Aim to add these three things to every upload: 

• Photographer credit. Crediting the photographer acknowledges their work and helps prevent the use of unlicensed images.  
• Captions. Captions provide additional context to sighted users, improve search engine visibility and help travellers understand details about your offering. 
• Alt text. Alt text helps people with visual impairments understand the content of your images. Search engines also use it to index your image, so it can boost your search engine optimization (SEO) performance. Alt text will appear in place of the image if it fails to load on a user’s screen. 
  • Keep it short, usually 1–2 sentences. 
  • Avoid duplicating information from your listing. 
  • Always end your alt text with a period. 
  • Never start with “image of…” or “picture of…” 
  • Follow this simple formula: the subject(s) in detail + the setting + the action + additional details. (Example: “People rafting down the Bow River with the Calgary skyline in the background.”) 
  • Still unsure?  If you're not comfortable writing alt text, you can leave this field blank. One of our admins will add the descriptions for you. 

What if I don’t have photos? 

ATIS multimedia library 

Travel Alberta's multimedia library is a central hub for all brand resources, including photography, video footage, maps, logos and icons. 

If you don't have the time or resources to curate your own assets, use photography, video footage, maps and stories from the library to enhance your listing.  

Learn more about the multimedia library. 

Apply for promotional funding 

If you need assets like photos, videos or written content to add to your listing, you may qualify for funding through our Tourism Investment Program. 

Visit the Tourism Investment Program page for details on how to apply.