As the summer season winds down for businesses in Waterton Lakes National Park, 2026 was another busy year for the southern Alberta tourist destination. While official data is still being finalized, Waterton Park Chamber of Commerce President Shameer Suleman says the park saw strong numbers throughout the summer. “It was a great summer season,” said Suleman. “I think it was the perfect storm of people not going south, international tourism looking for a new destination and Americans still moving around.” Visitation in 2025 reached near-record levels, in part as a result of the federal government’s Canada Strong Pass. The initiative provided free access to national parks throughout the summer. “It was good and busy, but it was the right busy. It wasn’t overflowing, there was no closures like we did last year,” said Suleman. Parks Canada attributed the smoother operations to several proactive crowd-management strategies. “Parks Canada uses many strategies to effectively manage visitation, including encouraging trip planning, promoting shoulder seasons and less-sensitive areas of the parks, and informing visitors about appropriate behaviour in natural spaces and ways to avoid human-wildlife conflict,” the agency said in a statement. “With continued visitor interest, Parks Canada is committed to protecting and preserving the ecological integrity of Waterton Lakes National Park while providing visitors with exceptional experiences to discover and enjoy the park.” As the fall and winter months approach, Suleman says the national park still has lots to offer. “We had a bit of a rocky start to September weather-wise, but it’s been a very, very busy September right into October,” said Suleman. “To be honest with you, last Saturday was our biggest night in one of our restaurants of the entire summer.”
