Ottawa Tourism is ramping up efforts to attract visitors and encourage locals to explore the city with a new virtual attractions pass.
Launched Tuesday, the Visit Ottawa Pass offers admission to seven attractions in the capital at one price point, with options for both one-day and three-day passes, in a new initiative to boost the local visitor economy.
Catherine Callary, vice-president of destination development at Ottawa Tourism, said the pass comes after years of visitor feedback indicating interest.
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“If you’ve travelled internationally you might have seen similar passes … We had visitors asking if we had something like this,” she said. “So we decided to test how it works for our destination.”
After several years of challenges to the tourism industry in Ottawa, the pass could help in the recovery, offering ways for visitors to check out a variety of attractions and for locals to “show off their city,” Callary added.
“We’ve had some difficult years in tourism, and I think everyone understands why,” Callary said. “Even after the pandemic, there was the derecho, the convoy, and other exacerbating issues last year. So last year, it was slow getting into the recovery, and then the second half was good.
“This is the first full year that we’re into the full recovery, and this summer is shaping up to be a great rebuilding year for the visitor economy,” she continued.
The one-day pass, valid for 24 hours, is $59 per adult, and the three-day pass costs $94 per adult, with discounted prices for children. The cost includes admission to the Canadian War Museum; Canadian Museum of History; Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum; National Gallery of Canada; Royal Canadian Mint; and The Haunted Walk. The admission also includes seasonal tours at Gray Line Ottawa for the summer and Cobblestone Tours in the winter months.
Locals can also take advantage of the Visit Ottawa Pass. Callary said it was built to satisfy a wide variety of interests, from museums and attractions to collections and tours with a “very strong general appeal.”
“Lots of Ottawans host friends or relatives and look for things to do, and this is a way to show off the city, and it will appeal to both visitors and locals,” she added.
“You can experience the city through the eyes of a visitor, and generate a sense of pride in your city.”
