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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

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