A new initiative by Tourism Calgary and WestJet aims to transform international layover passengers at Calgary International Airport into overnight visitors. The Calgary Stopover Program, launched on Wednesday, is the first of its kind in Canada and seeks to convert existing air traffic into economic benefits for local businesses.
Program Details
International travelers flying through Calgary can now add a stopover of up to seven days at no additional airfare cost. Using WestJet's multi-city booking tool, passengers can extend their journey to explore Calgary. Alisha Reynolds, CEO of Tourism Calgary, highlighted that the program encourages flyers to include Calgary in their itinerary while traveling to other destinations.
The pilot program initially targets passengers on WestJet's year-round service from London Heathrow and seasonal service from Edinburgh. It offers special rates at 19 local hotels and access to the Calgary Attractions Pass, which provides discounts at participating venues.
Economic Impact
Visitor spending in Calgary rose 15.6% year-over-year in Q1 2026, with international passenger volumes at YYC increasing 9.6%. Last year, the city welcomed a record 10.5 million visitors and $3.3 billion in visitor spending. By 2035, Calgary aims to reach $6 billion in visitor spending.
Chris Hedlin, director of air service development at Calgary Airport, noted that over six million passengers connected through the airport last year, with more than half a million traveling to Europe and Asia. Converting even 1-2% of these layovers could significantly impact the visitor economy.
Industry Support
Steve McClelland, WestJet's vice-president of partnership and loyalty, emphasized that the program delivers tangible benefits to local businesses and showcases Calgary's scenery, food scene, and culture. Similar stopover programs have succeeded internationally in countries like Iceland, Panama, and Singapore.
The program is structured as a pilot with plans to expand to more routes. It aims to leverage Calgary's position as WestJet's global hub and primary gateway for international travelers.
