Media release: Ottawa Tourism announces board of directors for coming year

OTTAWA, June 5, 2024 — At its Annual General Meeting yesterday at the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa Tourism confirmed its volunteer Board of Directors for 2024-2025 (names and titles below). Representatives from many of the organization’s 539 member businesses reviewed the previous year’s accomplishments and networked among a general feeling of optimism.

Milestone opportunities and accomplishments in 2023 included:

• A new Air France flight connecting Paris and Ottawa;
• Securing the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship;
• The launch of the Visit Ottawa Pass;
• Celebrating the inaugural gala of Ottawa Tourism’s Shine On Awards.

At the Annual General Meeting, Ottawa Tourism also offered a preview of the early findings of a new Economic Impact Study on tourism in Ottawa on where the industry is tracking post-pandemic, revealing that Ottawa welcomes 10.8 million visitors, who contribute $3.3 billion to the local economy in visitor spending.

“Ottawa’s visitor economy is in a good place now and is back to a growth mode for 2024 and beyond,” says Stefanie Siska, co-owner of C’est Bon Ottawa and Chair of the Board of Ottawa Tourism. “The incoming board of directors is committed to supporting this continued growth, and I look forward to working together this coming year.”

“Our team at Ottawa Tourism and the board have been doing outstanding work making sure our local tourism industry can enter a new era of growth this year,” says Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “With more capacity than ever, we can double down on attracting major events and meetings, hosting sports, supporting growth in Indigenous Tourism, and developing an attractive destination for visitors from across Canada and around the world.”

Ottawa Tourism’s Board of Directors for 2024-2025:

• Stefanie Siska, C’est Bon Ottawa, Chair of the Board
• Colin Morrison, Ottawa Embassy Hotel & Suites, Past Chair of the Board
• Geneviève Dumas, Fairmont Château Laurier, Chair of the Meetings & Conventions Committee
• Nyle Kelly, Brookstreet Hotel, Chair of the Municipal Accommodation Tax Management Committee
• Stéphane Pelletier, AC Hotel By Marriott, Chair of the Travel Trade Committee
• Chris Pierce, Les Suites Hotel Ottawa, Chair of the Marketing Committee
• Steve Ball, Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association
• Marc Forgette, Makatew Workshops
• Nina Kressler, Shaw Centre
• Liliane Lê, National Gallery of Canada
• Kondwani Mwase, National Arts Centre
• Andrew Peck, Downtown Rideau BIA
• Carole Saad, Chic + Swell Event Designers
• Sofia Santiso-Borsten, Zak’s Diner
• Joel Tkach, Ottawa International Airport Authority
• Cindy VanBuskirk, City of Ottawa

About Ottawa Tourism

Through its values of inclusivity, trust, collaboration, and innovation, Ottawa Tourism pursues its vision to be one of Canada’s most visited, sustainable, vibrant, and appealing urban destinations, as well as the tourism authority for key economic development and city-building decisions in Ottawa.

For more information, please contact:

Jérôme Miousse
Director, Public Affairs
corporate@ottawatourism.ca