The full year of celebrations marking Canada’s 150th anniversary in the country’s capital paid off for the city’s tourism industry, according to figures released Wednesday.
Ottawa Tourism said the number of visitors to the city rose 8.8 per cent year-over-year to more than 11 million individuals.
“From the astonishing one-off Ottawa 2017 events to the numerous legacy projects, it is clear that the investment in our city paid off,” Michael Crockatt, Ottawa Tourism’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
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Other key figures released by the destination marketing organization include:
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Canadian visitors to Ottawa jumped 8.7 per cent;
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Visitation from the U.S. grew by 7.8 per cent;
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International visitors increased 10.9 per cent; and
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Total visitor spending eclipsed $2.3 billion in 2017, up 10.3 per cent over 2016.
Late last year, the Conference Board of Canada said it expects Ottawa’s tourism industry to sustain the gains it made last year throughout 2018.
