Ottawa's tourism sector 'recovering faster' than expected this spring
Ottawa Tourism says it has been an encouraging start to the tourist season in Ottawa, after the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the "toughest years" in the history of the travel and tourism sector.
"In 2023, we are recovering faster than we forecast that we would," Ottawa Tourism President Michael Crockatt says.
"We are approaching our 2019 levels of visitation through the metrics that we can see. Maybe not quite ready to say that we're there yet, but it really is encouraging to see some of those indicators back to where they were."
May has been a busy month for the Ottawa tourism sector. The Canadian Tulip Festival says 500,000 people visited the festival over the 11-day event earlier this month.
This weekend, more than 27,500 people participated in Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, providing a boost for hotels, restaurants and other businesses. The president of the Ottawa-Gatineau Hotel Association told CTV News Ottawa on Saturday that most hotels in the area were near capacity for race weekend.
In addition to the festival, school trips have resumed in Ottawa, with tour buses full of students and teachers spotted across the city this spring.
Speaking with Newstalk 580 CFRA's CFRA Live with Andrew Pinsent, Crockatt says it has been a welcome boost for the tourism industry.
"It feels really good for our industry after a few very, very difficult years for businesses and workers in our industry," Crockatt said Sunday.
"To see the crowds at the Tulip Festival, to see the buzz in the ByWard Market this weekend – it's fantastic and really rewarding for all those people who grinded it out through the toughest years in the history of our industry."
Crockatt says leisure travel has been doing "really well" so far this year, and this week will see of the "biggest events of the year" in Ottawa with the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries trade show, CANSEC, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, Crockatt says there is one section of Ottawa's tourism industry that is slower to recover.
"The one thing we've continued to see sort of lagging is some of that, I would call, independent business traveller," Crockatt said.
"A lot of those people used to come to Ottawa to meet with government folks in their offices, and if the government folks aren't in the offices as much then fewer of those people are going to visit."
Summer events like Canada Day celebrations, RBC Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa Jazz Festival, the World Rugby Pacific Four Series, Volleyball Nations League and other events should attract more tourists to Ottawa.
Ottawa Tourism is also optimistic international travellers will begin to arrive in Ottawa this summer.
"What we're really excited about is Air France starting to fly between Paris and Ottawa in just about a month's time," Crockatt said Sunday. "That's exciting; that should help us boost those international arrivals as well."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.