How Alberta’s Indigenous tourism industry is thriving and growing

A teepee at night during an aurora. (Aurora Borealis Indigenous Village)

Indigenous culture is rooted in Alberta and the number of people who are interested in learning about and experiencing that culture is growing.

The province has hundreds of Indigenous tourism businesses from food to powwows and workshops.

“Indigenous tourism is a very interesting spot, because we don’t have to make the business case for it. It exists already,” said Chelsey Quirk, the CEO of Indigenous Tourism Alberta.

“We know that the demand is there, we just need to ensure we’re working with our members and new entrepreneurs to fill the market demand.”

The organization, which formed in 2018, works closely with other tourism groups in the province like Travel Alberta and Explore Edmonton to encourage and promote Indigenous experiences.

“Our focus is really on supporting authentic, sustainable business, which can happen in a variety of ways, especially when you’re talking about Indigenous culture,” says Quirk.

“We don’t dictate what that experience looks like. We set the parameters — this is how you play in the tourism space, so these are things that you need to know and to consider — but how you deliver your culture. That’s not for us to tell you that, that’s for you.”

In 2020, the organization only worked with 39 businesses. It now works with more than 200.

“We are the only province in Canada that has Indigenous tourism as a pillar of their provincial tourism strategy,” Quirk said.

The businesses are diverse and spread across the province. You can view the northern lights from a teepee at Aurora Borealis Indigenous Village near Fort McMurray, enjoy some elk lasagna at Homefire Lounge & Grill in Edmonton or tour sacred sites near Calgary and Banff with Earthcode Tours.

Tourism contributes a high amount of money to Alberta’s economy, in addition to employing around 10 per cent of the province’s population, according to Travel Alberta.

In 2025, visitor spending in the province reached $15.2 billion. This is a six per cent year-over-year increase from 2024.

“Alberta’s tourism sector is once again breaking records, with visitor spending growing nearly double the national average in 2025,” said Andrew Boitchenko, the minister of tourism and sport.

“Investing in tourism drives growth in our economy, by supporting thousands of jobs, attracting new investment, and creating opportunities for communities across the province.”

Alberta saw an increase in international visitation last year of nearly five per cent, despite Canada seeing a six per cent drop overall.

“This strong performance was supported by efforts through growth in air connectivity, with new and expanded WestJet routes creating opportunities in overseas markets including Japan, South Korea, and Mexico City,” according to Travel Alberta.

Quirk travelled to Mexico City when the flight launched last year and said the connection to Canadian Indigenous culture there “blew my mind.”

“They’re going through their own … whether it be reconciliation or a different word, another way to connect back to their culture and talk about what colonization looked like,” Quirk said.

“So when they come to Canada, they want to have that experience, they want to learn about the culture here. They want to meet people and share stories.”

Alberta was also one of the only provinces to see an increase in U.S. travellers in 2025, up five per cent as opposed to the national average of negative six per cent.

The province has a goal of reaching $25 billion in visitor spending a year by 2035.

Local and international interest

With a plethora of choices in their own backyard, one in two Albertans are interested in an Indigenous experience, says Quirk. That’s in addition to one in three international travellers who are looking for an “authentic, transformative, sustainable tourism experience.”

“There’s a whole group of travelers who are getting away from that Instagram worthy travel, and they want something true and deep that’s going to change them as they travel,” she added.

Quirk cited travellers from Great Britain, Germany, Japan, South Korea and France as being “instrumental” in growing the industry.

She also highlighted how unique the Alberta industry is, even compared to neighbouring provinces like B.C. and Saskatchewan, because the people in every province are going to have different personal and historical experiences to offer.

“We like to say that Indigenous people are the original tour guides, we are storytellers,” Quirk said. “We are sharing and connecting and building relationships, and now we’re just doing it in a more formal way.”

The vastness and variety of Alberta’s landscape, between rivers, plains, boreal forests and mountains, also helps lend itself to a varied industry.

Earlier this week, Indigenous Tourism Alberta, along with Travel Alberta and Explore Edmonton, hosted representatives from 11 different countries for the 2026 International Indigenous Tourism Conference.

“The conference is about sharing best practices for Indigenous tourism, where the opportunities are, where the challenges are, and how we’re overcoming challenges as indigenous operators and industry partners to support each other.,” Quirk said.

• International Indigenous Tourism Conference kicks off in Edmonton

There was also an awards gala, entertainment, cultural tours and speeches.

“It’s not about saying, ‘Hey, we’re so great.’ It’s saying, ‘Hey, we’re great, we want you to be great too, so these are the things that we’ve done, and some of the things that we’ve had to navigate, or maybe still are navigating.’

“When you’re rooted in culture and you’re rooted in reconciliation and authenticity, it’s not about me or you, it’s about us together.”

International visitors spend an average of three times more money as opposed to domestic visitors to the province, according to Travel Alberta.

Younger generations interested in Indigenous experiences

As the younger generations develop their own tastes and interests, Quirk says data is showing the younger people are, the more likely they are to be interested in an Indigenous experience:

• Baby boomers - 44 per cent
• Gen X - 55 per cent
• Millennials - 68 per cent
• Gen Z - 75 per cent

“Tourism provides a tangible tool for people to be part of the reconciliation journey,” Quirk said. “It’s part of it for us, where we want to walk alongside people on their journey and give them things in a very authentic way.

“When you talk about reconciliation, it can feel somber, it can feel heavy, because there’s a lot of heaviness that goes with it, but tourism is such a fun way to be part of that journey.”

There’s no one kind of experience that stands above the rest as being the most popular between land-based experiences, food and health and wellness.

When asked if Quirk had a personal favourite experience or attraction, she said she couldn’t pick just one.

“There’s so many places that I haven’t been to yet either, so I’m going to pass. To be confirmed,” Quirk said.

Indigenous Tourism Alberta has a list of businesses for people who want to try to find their new favourite.