Tourism

With union members still out on picket lines in full force, Bar Robo owner Scott May says he’s currently enjoying “far and away” the busiest week at his downtown coffee, cocktail and live music venue since the pandemic began more than three years ago.

A week into the federal public service strike, the owner of a small tourism company on Sparks Street says the picketing currently underway downtown will be “devastating” to his business if it continues.

Spending on tourism continued to grow last year as travellers returned to planes and patios, but it remained well below pre-pandemic levels, according to Statistics Canada.

At least one rural town in Eastern Ontario is showing its true colours – and it’s a full rainbow.

The visit of U.S. President Joe Biden to Ottawa could bring an increase in tourists coming to Canada’s capital to explore the city for themselves.

Curtis Gallagher, who leads Avison Young’s hospitality business for Canada, said while a local recovery is “underway,” Ottawa’s return to pre-pandemic occupancy levels “may be a little bit slower-paced than some of the other markets” the firm surveyed.

In a news release on Wednesday, the airport authority said that in recent weeks it has “observed a degradation of service levels associated with ground-handling activities” provided to Flair and Sunwing by U.K.-based firm Menzies Aviation.

The National Capital Commission confirmed that the skateway, the world's largest outdoor skating rink, will not open this season due to warm temperatures.

The mild weather of this year’s Winterlude celebrations is pushing local businesses that depend on the winter festival to consider what a future of warmer weather could mean for them.