In 1883, Sulphur Mountain’s hot springs were discovered by three Canadian Pacific railway workers and its popularity quickly grew with the establishment of the castle-like Banff Springs Hotel by William Cornelius Van Horne. Van Horne, the railroad's president, was the one who stated "Since I can't export the scenery; I'll import the tourists.” Other characteristic buildings erected soon after included the centrally located Mount Royal. In the spirit of discovering and protecting the area, numerous tours also began being offered by the local Brewster brothers.
Today, the town of Banff is less than 4 sq kilometres and located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a protected area that embodies a natural, serene yet dynamic way of life. Development is carefully managed within the existing footprint of the townsite.
The summer season sees approx 3 million visitors to the area. However, winter is low season and ski vacations in Banff are very popular with three ski resorts nearby; Ski Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise ski resort just a short drive from hotels.
Nearby Tunnel Mountain is very popular for quick hikes; named Tunnel Mountain because surveyors initially wanted to make a tunnel for the Trans-Canada (Canadian Pacific) Railroad right through the mountain.