Highlights from NTA TREX 2025 Ottawa

Credit: Normand Huberdeau

TREX Ottawa 2025: Event success and highlights

TREX 2025 in Ottawa was a resounding success, thanks to meticulous planning, a dynamic blend of business and cultural activities and Ottawa’s warm welcome.

The conference floor buzzed with appointments and networking, while delegates also explored Ottawa through thoughtfully curated sightseeing excursions and dine-around experiences. NTA’s new TREXconneX technology debuted in Ottawa, which allowed attendees to digitally track meetings, enhancing connections beyond the tradeshow floor. 

New additions to TREX in Ottawa also included a Destination Hub (where operators can gather information from DMOs and tour suppliers grouped by product themes) and a Learning Lab (that provided education aimed at small groups). These structured opportunities allow attendees to deepen their knowledge and leave with actionable strategies and valuable partnerships.

Credit: Normand Huberdeau

Strength of itineraries and delegate experiences

Ottawa’s blend of history, culture, and outdoor adventure makes it a standout destination for groups and FIT travelers, with walkable neighbourhoods, diverse attractions, and a vibrant culinary scene that support inventive, flexible itineraries.

TREX 2025 reflected that strength in action.

Beyond structured appointments and educational programming, delegates experienced the city the way their travellers would — through curated FAM opportunities, guided tours, immersive sightseeing and dine-around activities. These itineraries showcased Ottawa’s character in meaningful ways, balancing business insights with authentic discovery across museums, landmarks, local restaurants and scenic surroundings.

Exclusive restaurant discounts also encouraged attendees to explore on their own, reinforcing how Ottawa enables travel professionals to build memorable, customized experiences for every type of visitor.

Credit: Normand Huberdeau

Sightseeing tours

Approximately 252 delegates participated in one or more of the seven exceptional sightseeing tour options, showcasing Ottawa’s diverse attractions.

Tour #1: We Are How We Eat

The tour began at Rogers Centre Ottawa, the conference’s downtown hub, where participants learned how the city’s hospitality community works together to combat food waste. Through the À la Carte program, surplus food from conferences, events and arenas is redistributed to community members facing food insecurity. Guests had the chance to contribute by assembling soup kits, seeing firsthand the positive impact tourism can have on local communities.

The experience continued with a visit to Just Food Community Farm in Ottawa’s East end, followed by stops at Forêt Capitale Forest and C’est Bon Ottawa, where participants explored how tourism can support both visitors and the local food industry. Led by professional chefs, the group enjoyed a forest-inspired entrée crafted from local Canadian ingredients and boreal forest products, while learning how Ottawa’s forests nourish mind, body and spirit.

Tour #2: Cold War & Peace — And the Games People Play

The tour took participants to Ottawa’s west end and deep inside Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum. This four-storey underground bunker, now a national historic site and immersive museum, offered a glimpse into Canada’s Cold War past, built to shelter government officials and essential services in the event of a nuclear attack. After exploring these moments in history, the group headed to Funhaven, an entertainment destination where thrilling rides, games and activities — including Mars Mission, a roller coaster, bumper cars and laser tag — provided a lively, playful contrast and a chance to unwind.

Tour #3: Discover Indigenous Culture in Ottawa

Guided by Colleen Nolan, Ottawa Tourism’s Indigenous Tourism Liaison, participants explored the traditional and unceded lands of the Anishinaabeg Algonquin Nation. The first stop was the Canadian Museum of History, where participants visited the Residential School Monument and reflected on this difficult chapter in Canadian history.

The group traveled to Mādahòkì Farm, a year-round Indigenous tourism destination home to the Ojibwe Spirit Horses and an Indigenous market. Along the way, participants connected with local Indigenous tourism operations, including Makatew Workshops, Indigenous Walks, Bougie Birch, and Beandigen Café, gaining insight into the rich culture and traditions of Indigenous communities.

Tour #4: Treasures of Ottawa

The tour began at the Bank of Canada Museum, where guests explored the evolution of currency, viewed rare coins and notes, and learned about the Bank’s role in Canada’s economy. From there, the group visited the Royal Canadian Mint to see how coins are made, including some of the world’s most prized collector coins.

The experience continued at the National Gallery of Canada, home to more than 87,000 works of Indigenous and Canadian art, alongside masterpieces from around the globe. The tour concluded with a classic Ottawa treat from the ByWard Market — BeaverTails, served with a variety of sweet toppings.

Tour #5: Hidden Secrets of Ottawa

This walking tour revealed some of Ottawa’s lesser-known stories in the heart of downtown. Participants explored a mix of quirky history from Hidden InSite and spine-tingling tales from The Haunted Walk, while learning about the history of the Fairmont Château Laurier and the iconic Rideau Canal Locks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Participants also visited the historic and haunted Bytown Museum, the city’s oldest stone building, which chronicles the canal’s construction and Ottawa’s early history. The experience wrapped up with a locally brewed craft beer at Beyond the Pale Brewing Company.

Tour #6: Canadiana Eh! Beer and Poutine

A beer-focused culinary road trip (with farm-painted Popsilos dotting the countryside) took participants to a local brewery and St-Albert Cheese Co-op, ending with a classic Canadian poutine.

Tour #7: Discover Our True Nature

The bus tour took participants across the Ottawa River into Quebec’s Outaouais region, led by Tourisme Outaouais. Guests explored Gatineau Park, starting at Camp Fortune, a year-round destination for adventure on slopes, trails, and in the trees, where they enjoyed a tour and snack. The journey continued to the charming village of Chelsea, with a stop at the Parks Visitor Centre, before wrapping up with a tasting at Distillerie du Square.

Tour #8: Dine-around experiences

TREX 2025’s dine-around program highlighted Ottawa’s diverse food scene with curated experiences, as well as exclusive discounts at top restaurants across Ottawa, providing flexibility for individual exploration. 106 delegates joined their peers for a dine-around experience!

Brew Donkey Beer Tour

Participants explored how beer helped shape Ottawa during this guided evening tour. The experience included visits to two local breweries pouring a range of styles, a seated meal at one stop and stories that brought the city’s boozy past to life.

Tour #9: C’est Bon Ottawa Food Walking Tour

A guided dinner crawl took place through the ByWard Market, led by a knowledgeable local guide. The group visited three beloved, local-favourite restaurants for food and drink, while learning more about the neighbourhood’s diverse and historic character. It proved to be a memorable experience for food lovers and city explorers alike.

Tour #10: Haunted Walk

The Haunted Walk brought Ottawa’s ghostly history to life through captivating stories shared by cloaked, lantern-lit guides. Along the way, participants visited some of the city’s most haunted sites, including Grant House, the Fairmont Château Laurier and the infamous haunted high school.

Tour #11: Oh Canada Eh!? Musical Dinner

This experience treated guests to Canada’s longest-running dinner musical. Over two hours, the show carried audiences on a coast-to-coast musical journey featuring more than 70 iconic songs by Canadian legends. Beyond the performance, the cast also served a hearty, all-Canadian family-style meal, making it an interactive celebration of Canadian spirit.

Debuting new ways to connect in Ottawa

NTA TREX 2025 Ottawa debuted innovative ways for the travel industry to connect.

TREXconneX, housed in the NTA app, made its first appearance, letting attendees scan badges and track interactions to ensure no connection was missed.

The Destination Hub grouped suppliers by product themes, making exploration simpler, while the Learning Lab offered targeted educational sessions and one-to-one development opportunities. Beyond appointments, attendees also enjoyed casual networking through dinners, tours, and other activities designed to spark new connections.

Credit: Normand Huberdeau

Volunteers and event support

A team of 55 Ottawa-area volunteers helped make NTA TREX Ottawa 2025 run smoothly, providing essential support across the event. They came from a range of local backgrounds — including suppliers and tour operators, students, past and current Ottawa Tourism staff, and community members — bringing a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to every role. From welcoming delegates and staffing information desks to guiding attendees and hosting the opening and closing events, their dedication ensured a seamless experience.

These volunteers also acted as Ottawa experts, sharing local insights and logistical support that allowed delegates to focus on appointments, educational sessions, and networking. Their energy, expertise, and hospitality brought Ottawa to life, helping TREX Ottawa 2025 shine as a world-class travel trade event.

Credit: Normand Huberdeau

Looking ahead: SYTA Annual Conference 2027

Travel trade professionals who experienced TREX 2025 can look forward to the 2027 SYTA Annual Conference in Ottawa, August 13–16.

This event will gather the global student and youth travel market, offering education and networking opportunities to advance student travel businesses. Delegates will enjoy incredible Ottawa experiences, with a focus on youth-oriented itineraries and innovative programming.

Credit: Normand Huberdeau