Jasper is the eponymous townsite of Jasper National Park, akin to its sister Banff townsite is to Banff National Park. The key difference is that more tourists go to Banff, at least in the summer. That's not to say that Jasper isn't without its charm -- it's the only one you can take a passenger train into, it's a Dark Sky preserve, and you can find a parking spot there in the middle of the summer. (That it's also four hours from Edmonton is likely also a factor, as it's a bit far for a mere day trip, even by Canadian standards.)
