Southern Alberta appears to be on the right track for another strong tourism year. Tourism Lethbridge says it’s seeing numbers consistent with last year. The city’s annual Whoop-Up Days, scheduled for later this month, is expected to be the cherry on top. “Summer gets to be very busy. Lethbridge is a hub for so many great and wonderful things that happen just in southern Alberta alone, said Tourism Lethbridge interim CEO Greg Robinson. “We love to see all the visitors that keep coming in time and time again, weekend after weekend, day after day, coming in to make Lethbridge a stop.” There appears to be more domestic travellers headed in Lethbridge this summer as increased fuel costs and less frequent travel to the U.S. keeps people closer to home. “I think people have made a lot of very conscious decisions of keeping their family close to home, exploring what is happening right in our own backyard right here in southern Alberta,” Robinson said. Further south, Waterton Lakes National Park is also seeing strong tourism figures as the park posts one of its busiest years on record. And though visitor data isn’t immediately available, visitors to the area this year seem to be in line with last year’s numbers so far. “It feels pretty similar to last year. There’s just the dynamic of the type of visitor and where they’re coming from is a little different,” said Waterton Park Chamber of Commerce President Shameer Suleman. The return of the Canada Strong Pass has kept domestic visitation high. While there’s been a dip in visitors from the United States, an increase in international tourists has helped balance things out — and bring in more money for local businesses. “When they come in, they’re staying a little longer. They’re obviously spending more money. They’re not bringing their own food, so they’re eating out all three meals there,” Suleman said. “They want to really experience Canada so they’re really making sure they’re golfing, they’re hiking, they’re biking,” said Suleman. In 2025 Alberta recorded a record breaking $15.2 billion in visitor spending.
