Calgary tourism breaks records in 2025, even bigger year expected ahead
Posted Dec 3, 2025 7:18 pm.
Tourism in Calgary has reached new heights, with more than 8.7 million visitors flocking to the city this year.
Tourism Calgary says 2026 is shaping up to be even busier, thanks to a surge in conventions, conferences, and international travel.
Visitors like Ian Bowler, attending the 4H National Members Forum from Ontario, say Calgary offers something special.
“I really enjoy the feel here. It’s so much different, but yet there’s just a different vibe that I can’t explain… It’s almost magical, somewhat,” Bowler said.
He is one of more than 70 delegates at the forum, one of countless events that helped boost overall visitor spending by more than four percent compared to last year.
Major gatherings such as the G7 Summit and the World Rotary Convention played a significant role in driving tourism.
“We welcomed in tens of thousands of visitors from those events alone,” said Alisha Reynolds, President and CEO of Tourism Calgary. “And when you look at Rotary, it was more than 140 countries that were represented in that visitation.”
The city has also seen a rise in international visitors from South Korea, France, and the UK. New flight routes contributed to the growth, with international arrivals up 11.1 per cent over 2024 and domestic flights increasing by 9.2 per cent.
Many travellers are venturing beyond city limits to explore the Rockies.
“Obviously as someone who loves the mountains I’m very much looking forward to going out to Banff and Canmore and stuff,” said Paige Grant, another conference attendee from Ontario.
Tourism Calgary emphasizes that while the city is a gateway to the Rockies, it is also a destination in its own right.
“We’re offering this beautiful sense of connection to nature and urban vibrancy,” Reynolds said.
Visitors agree. Will Sanderson, attending from Prince Edward Island, compared Calgary to Toronto.
“It feels way more touristy. I’ve been to Toronto, and Toronto’s just a big, huge concrete jungle, I guess they call it. This place is just nicer in general,” he said.
Looking ahead, Calgary is preparing for an unprecedented 2026. This year, the city hosted nine large conventions. Already, 12 major events are scheduled for the first three months of next year alone, including the Federal Conservative Party’s National Convention and the Women’s World Curling Championships.
