Many economists, politicians, and business people acknowledge the growing importance of tourists and other visitors to the economies of resource-dependent communities. The economic value of visitors to a region is difficult to measure because elements of the economy that cater to visitors. Restaurants and gas stations also make up part of the service sector for of the local residents. Statistical agencies are unable to distinguish purchases made by visitors from those made by local residents. In this study, a collection of secondary data sources was used to estimate the contribution of visitors to the economy of the Foothills Model Forest, in west central Alberta in 1997. This area provides a unique opportunity for this kind of study because it includes Jasper National Park, a popular visitor destination, and Hinton, a resource-based community. This paper also details the methodology used to obtain the estimates.