It’s possible Canada’s oldest national park has become too popular for its own good.
Driving the news: Banff National Park saw a record high 4.5 million visitors last year, a 36% jump from a decade ago. The banner year was driven by domestic travel from outside the province and free admission via the Canada Strong Pass, which has been renewed for 2026.
Why it matters: Tourism brings in billions of dollars to the region and supports almost the entire local economy, but the surge in visitors has also sparked overtourism concerns. Some locals have petitioned for a cap on the number of tourists to help protect the park and ease congestion.
Parks Canada has introduced mandatory paid shuttles to popular sites like Lake Louise to try to reduce crowding (although an $8 shuttle ticket is unlikely to deter even the most frugal tourists). An expert panel is currently working on more solutions.
Zoom out: Popular travel spots around the world are grappling with the same problem, trying everything from cruise ship restrictions to visitor caps to midnight snack bans to ease the overcrowding.
Venice implemented a fee for day-tripping tourists, while fed-up Barcelona locals have started spritzing tourists with water guns (a bit juvenile, but a tactic that certainly sends a message).
Our take: Tourist overcrowding is largely because travellers all come at the same time wanting an identical Instagram picture in front of the bright blue water of Lake Louise. As locals point out, there are tons of beautiful trails and lakes 15 minutes away from the marquee sites, often with zero people. Maybe the answer lies in pushing tourists off the beat and path a little?—LA