Calgary has launched a new stopover program with WestJet designed to entice international travelers to extend their layovers and stay longer in the city. Under the scheme, eligible passengers can spend up to a week in Calgary at no additional flight cost. The idea is to turn a brief connection into a full visit. Organizers describe it as an invitation to experience Calgary not just as a quick stop between flights, but as a destination in its own right.
Backers say the program is built around giving visitors a reason to step outside the airport. They frame Calgary as a place where travelers can experience diversity, culture and adventure, with plenty to see and do. WestJet representative Steve McClellan said the initiative is meant to build a relationship between travelers and the city. The goal is for passengers passing through to leave with a sense of connection to Calgary.
The effort is a collaboration that reaches beyond the airline itself. The Calgary Hotel Association is taking part with 19 exclusive hotel offers available to travelers on eligible WestJet flights. Tourism Calgary is adding the Calgary Attraction Pass, which provides discounts at various destinations across the city. Together, the partners are trying to make a longer stay both easy and affordable for those who decide to break their journey.
Airport officials see the program as a potential economic boost. Chris Hedlund with the YYC Airport noted that large numbers of passengers route through the airport on their way to destinations in Europe or Asia. If even a small percentage of those connection passengers can be converted into local visitors, he said, the city could see significant hotel nights, attraction spending and broader economic benefit for the region. The logic is to capture value from travelers who would otherwise simply pass through.
Officials say this is the first program of its kind in Canada. It is based on a model that has already proven successful in other places, including Iceland, Panama and Singapore, where stopover schemes have helped turn transit hubs into destinations. By adapting that approach, Calgary is positioning itself to compete for the attention of long-haul travelers who have a choice of where to pause their trip.
For now, the program is being run as a pilot. Officials said it is starting immediately and that they intend to tweak it and keep taking feedback from the community and their partners, with the aim of building on it in the years to come. The tool is already available on WestJet's website in its best of travel section, where interested travelers can look into extending their layover into a Calgary stay.