Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - February 17, 2026) - Alberta is excited to welcome top travel agents from Germany and five other European countries at the invitation of DERTOUR Group, one of Europe's leading travel groups, from February 21 to 26, 2026. The annual learning and exploration academy will take place in Calgary and Banff and will showcase Alberta's world-class destinations and signature experiences, with a focus on winter and year-round travel.
With early indicators showing that 2025 is on track for another record year for the tourism sector, initiatives like this play a key role in creating new revenue opportunities for tourism businesses across the province, while supporting continued economic growth and job creation.
"Hosting DERTOUR in Alberta presents a powerful opportunity to drive real economic impact while deepening our relationships in one of our most important overseas markets. As Alberta continues to gain global recognition as a destination of choice, this opportunity allows us to build on that momentum and showcase the incredible experiences that set us apart in every season," said Tannis Gaffney, Chief Marketing Officer, Travel Alberta.
DERTOUR is an international force in the tourism industry, operating in 16 countries and supporting millions of travellers each year in planning and booking their travel itineraries.
Hosting these distinguished guests in February reinforces Travel Alberta's commitment to promoting winter travel, supporting a sustainable and year-round sector. By experiencing Alberta firsthand, travel agents will gain the knowledge and insights needed to effectively sell Alberta's unique destinations and experiences.
As Alberta's top service export, employing 10 per cent of the population, tourism plays a key role in the province's economy. In 2024, visitors spent a record $14.4 billion in Alberta, supporting more than 86,000 full-time jobs, and generating recognition as a destination of choice from several international travel publications last year, including Wanderlust and Travel + Leisure.
"DERTOUR Campus Academy is the largest live training event of the DERTOUR Group, bringing together 300 travel agency partners from our German and several other European markets. Experiencing a destination live and in-person remains the best way for participants to truly get to know it. Combined with the workshops and roundtable sessions, they return home with extensive expert knowledge and product insights to support their day-to-day work at the counter - and to provide travellers with the best possible advice when planning their trips to Canada," said Uta Martens, Senior Vice President Sales & Customer Service, DERTOUR Germany.
"Canada and especially Alberta is one of the core destinations for DERTOUR and Meiers Weltreisen. Following the DERTOUR Campus Academy, we expect up to a 20 per cent increase in demand for Canada," said Jan Frankenberg, Director Longhaul, DERTOUR Germany.
DERTOUR Group represents several of Alberta's key overseas markets; from January to November 2025, Alberta saw nearly 146,000 incoming passengers from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Germany, DERTOUR's head location, is Travel Alberta's third largest overseas market and saw a growth of 24 per cent of incoming air passengers to the province in November 2025 compared to the same time the year prior.
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Media inquiries
Mediarelations@travelalberta.com
368-338-8640
About Travel Alberta
As the Government of Alberta's destination management organization, Travel Alberta drives the growth of the province's visitor economy, creating and promoting must-visit destinations throughout the province. We do this by developing signature products and destinations, marketing those destinations to the world, and attracting investment in the sector. Together, in partnership with the Government of Alberta, regional destination organizations, industry associations, and thousands of Alberta tourism businesses across the province, we are working to grow the value of Alberta's visitor economy to $25 billion by 2035. Visit industry.travelalberta.com to learn more.
About DERTOUR Group
DERTOUR Group has its head office in Cologne, Germany, and is REWE Group's travel and tourism division. As one of Europe's leading travel groups, DERTOUR Group encompasses approximately 200 companies and employs around 15,000 people worldwide. Every year, millions of guests travel with one of the Group's tour operators or specialists. DERTOUR Group includes tour operators such as DERTOUR, ITS, Meiers Weltreisen, Kuoni, Helvetic Tours, ITS Coop Travel, Billa Reisen, Koning Aap, Apollo, Exim Tours and Fischer, as well as around 2,000 travel agencies (such as DERTOUR, DERPART, Kuoni, Exim, and Fischer, plus franchises and partners), the hotel brands Sentido, Aldiana, and ananea and the online travel agency Prijsvrij Vakanties. The DERTOUR Group also offers on-site support: The company runs an agency network with 71 offices in 31 travel destinations. The staff in the destination agencies assist the guests of the DERTOUR Group from their arrival at their holiday destination until their departure. For more information, go to www.dertour-group.com.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283962
Source: Travel Alberta
