Alberta is leading the country in tourism growth, with new data showing the province’s tourism sector expanding at more than three times the national average between January and September 2024.
“Alberta’s tourism economy is booming. It’s growing at an unprecedented rate, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon,” said Joseph Schow, Minister of Tourism and Sport. “Alberta’s government will continue working to unleash the potential of the province’s tourism industry, and the incredible tourism operators across the province will continue to show the world what we Albertans already know: Alberta is the best place in the world to live, play and visit.”
The momentum aligns with Cochrane’s own tourism growth. From 2023 to 2024 alone, the town has seen a 12 per cent tourism spending increase.
Discussions from Cochrane’s Committee of the Whole meeting, held March 17, emphasized the Town’s role in Alberta’s emerging tourism landscape.
“We are a hub of an emerging tourism region,” said Callandra Caufield, executive director of the Cochrane Tourism Association, in comments made during the meeting. “Travel Alberta has identified our region as a place where there’s potential for tourism investment.”
To build on this potential, Explore Cochrane has shared a list of key initiatives for 2025 aimed at enhancing the town’s tourism offerings. These include:
- Data collection initiative
- Organizational leadership and governance project
- Frontline tourism training program
- Two-year visitor information services project
- Growth of Cochrane Discovery Days
- Marketing campaign to increase overnight stays
- Community Pride of Place initiative
Caufield outlined the ways success will be measured, including economic impact, increased visitation and overnight stays, strengthened municipal and regional relationships, and data-informed decision-making.
Cochrane Tourism Association, better known as ‘Explore Cochrane,’ is the Town’s destination management organization. Since aligning with the Town of Cochrane in 2019 to develop a tourism strategy, tourism spending has increased by 40 per cent—on par with Calgary’s growth rate during the same period.
“That’s in comparison to about 19 per cent in Airdrie and 27 per cent in Okotoks,” she said. “Overall, we’re seeing an upward trend in economic impact. The opportunity is right now while we have a province that is interested in tourism investment.”
Caufield said investment in local tourism provides wide-reaching economic benefits, including lowering residential taxes, supporting robust local businesses, and boosting business density in Cochrane’s downtown core.
Explore Cochrane has identified some key events that could potentially draw in visitors to town, improving local tourism:
- Canada Day
- Bow Valley Boot Stomp
- Cochrane Lions Rodeo
- Cochrane Light up
“We are really firm in the goal of the community benefiting from tourism in Cochrane,” said Caufield.
Tourism is broadly defined as the activity of people travelling 40 kilometres or more, and spans sectors such as transportation, arts and culture, culinary experiences, history and heritage.
