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Develop destination-defining investments in Alberta

CREATE MORE REASONS FOR VISITORS TO STAY LONGER, SPEND MORE, AND EXPLORE YEAR-ROUND.

Funding purpose: The Signature Investment Fund helps bring high-potential tourism developments to life in Alberta. Signature Investments strengthen itineraries, close critical supply gaps, and create more reasons for visitors to stay longer, spend more, and explore year-round.

Investment range: With up to $1.5 million in support, Travel Alberta is seeking bold, viable projects that can catalyze tourism growth across the province, with a focus on Tourism Development Zones.

What is the Signature Investment Fund designed to achieve?

Alberta has set an ambitious goal: to more than double the province’s tourism economy by 2035. Reaching that target will require more than incremental growth. It will require destination-defining investments that are financially viable, generate new demand, and strengthen regional tourism ecosystems.

The Signature Investment Fund is designed to help advance those opportunities. It supports high-value tourism developments that:

  • Anchor multi-day itineraries and encourage longer stays
  • Address critical gaps in accommodations, access, or visitor experiences
  • Increase year-round visitation and local economic impact
  • Unlock complementary investment in surrounding tourism businesses and services
  • Diversify the seasonality of the local or regional tourism offer
  • Support the Indigenous tourism sector
  • Projects within Tourism Development Zones will be prioritized

What qualifies as a Signature Investment?

A Signature Investment is a must-visit tourism development that becomes a reason to choose Alberta, and a reason for visitors to stay longer and spend more. The features of a Signature Investment include:

  • Itinerary-anchoring: It strengthens overnight demand, repeat visitation, and multi-day travel rather than day-trip activity alone.
  • High-quality and distinctive: It delivers a strong sense of place, culture, or experience that elevates the destination.
  • Catalytic by design: It works with surrounding attractions, accommodations, services, and experiences to strengthen the broader tourism ecosystem.
  • Market-relevant: It responds to a clearly identified product gap or destination constraint and helps unlock future tourism growth.

Signature Investments address critical supply gaps such as accommodations that are demand drivers in their own right, as well as experiences, attractions, and transportation solutions that encourage travellers to explore more of Alberta.

These investments are prioritized within Tourism Development Zones (TDZs) where they can most effectively drive year‑round economic impact.

Funding Snapshot

Up to $1.5M

Proponent(s) must contribute a minimum of 70% of total project cost.

  • Projects should represent a minimum capital investment of $7.5 million. Recognizing the importance of economic reconciliation, projects that advance outcomes for Indigenous Peoples or communities may be considered below this minimum.
  • Projects within Tourism Development Zones will be prioritized.

Who should apply

Your business must be at least one of the following:

  • A tourism business intending to expand within or to Alberta
  • An Indigenous tourism business

And have:

  • Been in operation for a minimum of three years or been in operation for a minimum of three years in a similar operation.
  • A well thought through and complete business plan, 3 previous years of financial statement, and 5-year proformas, demonstrating that you are well positioned to see the project through to successful operation.

Additional criteria:

  • Create 10+ jobs by year two of operations;
  • Drives measurable contribution to the visitor economy in TDZs*;
  • Must respond to a product need identified by Travel Alberta;
  • Provides a tourism offering that is available for more than 120 days per year;
  • A minimum capital investment of $7.5M OR advances economic reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples or communities.

Travel Alberta must be a strategic advisor from project conception to completion to ensure alignment with relevant tourism strategies and business plans.

*Consideration for projects outside of TDZs will be made at Travel Alberta’s discretion.

Submit an expression of interest

If you are developing a project that aligns with the fund, reach out early. Early engagement helps ensure your concept is aligned with regional tourism priorities, market demand, and program requirements.

Submit an expression of interest

EOI Process

Once an Expression of Interest (EOI) is submitted, Travel Alberta conducts an initial review to confirm eligibility and assess alignment with the Signature Investment Fund’s objectives, including the project's potential to strengthen tourism demand, address critical market gaps, and contribute to regional tourism growth. If an eligible proponent meets these requirements and can demonstrate a clear path to project delivery, Travel Alberta may engage in further discussions to better understand the opportunity and determine whether the proponent will be invited to submit a full application. Full applications require additional information and supporting documentation. This includes but is not limited to, evidence that the proponent has obtained the necessary approvals and permits and has access to sufficient capital to proceed.

Throughout the process, Travel Alberta may engage with proponents to clarify project details, discuss development milestones, and identify any outstanding requirements.

Participation in process

Submission of an EOI does not guarantee funding. All projects are evaluated through a competitive assessment process based on strategic alignment, financial viability, project readiness, anticipated tourism and economic impacts, program competitiveness, and available funding.

Travel Alberta’s programs are not intended to be used to solicit investment or raise capital. Participation in the Signature Investment Fund process, including Travel Alberta’s review, engagement, or support of a project, does not constitute an endorsement of the project and must not be represented as such to investors, lenders, or other funding partners.

Need more information?

Travel Alberta shares Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) Lookbooks with potential proponents upon request. You can request one of Travel Alberta's Tourism Development Zone lookbooks to explore regional priorities, development opportunities, development opportunities, and destination insights.

Request a TDZ Lookbook

Couple above Peyto Lake as the sun goes down

Signature Investment Program

For more information on this program