OTTAWA, September 12, 2024 — As a busy summer season wraps up, Ottawa Tourism announces the release of its 2024 Economic Impact Study, providing the first high-level look at post-pandemic visitor spending trends to assess the impact of the tourism industry on Ottawa’s economy. Among other findings, it was concluded that Ottawa welcomes 9.8 million visitors each year, who spend $2.6 billion in the destination. On a yearly basis, the visitor economy supports nearly $2,000 of government services for every household in Ottawa and forms a workforce of over 35,000 people, through direct, indirect and induced employment.
The findings of this study are released as Ottawa’s summer season comes to an end, offering its own set of benchmarking performance measures. In 2024, from Victoria Day to Labour Day, Ottawa saw overall increases to its hotel demand by 4% over the same time period in 2023. This positive increase from 2023 reflects the organization’s ongoing efforts to build momentum with the goal of surpassing the record set in 2019 as gains continue to be made in the recovery of tourism post-pandemic. Despite some remaining challenges, this momentum has been bolstered by new air route announcements by Air Canada and Porter, improving accessibility to the city, as well as increased business driven by return-to-office mandates.
The summer also saw the introduction of two new visitor-oriented attractions passes: one geared toward family experiences in Ottawa and the other focused on museums. The passes, available at VisitOttawaPasses.ca, provided visitors with one-stop-shop access to a range of Ottawa’s most-visited attractions.
“Ottawa Tourism is proud to share its 2024 Economic Impact Study, which underscores the vital role tourism plays in our community,” says Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “With nearly 10 million visitors annually and $3.1 billion in economic output, our industry continues to be a cornerstone of Ottawa’s economic prosperity. Tourism and destination promotion result in more than just attracting visitors — they are catalysts for community vitality. By strategically investing in brand management, destination stewardship, and sales programs, we enhance Ottawa’s appeal as a place to visit, live, work, and play, ensuring long-term benefits for everyone.”
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. Canada’s capital welcomes an estimated 9.8 million visitors annually who spend $2.6 billion in the community.
For more information, please contact:
Jérôme Miousse
Director, Public Affairs
corporate@ottawatourism.ca
