The head of Ottawa Tourism is concerned about decreasing numbers of U.S. travellers to Ottawa and says his organization will be looking to reverse that trend next year.
On Monday, Ottawa Tourism hosted its annual stakeholder meeting at the National Gallery of Canada, with local businesses and tourism vendors in attendance. President and CEO Michael Crockatt told the crowd that the U.S. has long been Canada’s strongest market when it comes to travel and is a demographic Ottawa can’t afford to lose.
“We’re tracking Canada-U.S. sentiment and travel trends,” he said. “We’ve heard that Americans no longer feel welcome in Canada and some have even felt unwelcome right here when visiting our community.”
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Many Canadians rallied behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s “Elbows Up” election slogan, choosing not to travel to the U.S. In its latest report, Statistics Canada said September saw a 30.9 per cent decline year-over-year in return trips from the United States by Canadians. At the same time, the number of U.S. residents travelling to Canada declined year-over-year for an eighth consecutive month.
“I know many of us feel personally about the current situation between our two countries,” said Crockatt. “We can’t let the ‘Elbows Up’ phenomenon alienate this market. The American people are our friends. It’s important to remain welcoming to them, above all, and to keep being active and continue to foster relationships with clients in the U.S.”
In the past year, Ottawa Tourism has targeted 2SLGBTQIA+ Americans in particular, with an advertising campaign highlighting the nation’s capital as a diverse and inclusive destination.
Crockatt said Porter Airlines has been an asset in attracting travellers from the U.S. “We continue to see the benefits of Porter’s commitment to Ottawa and the ongoing effort to position YOW as a regional hub, making it even easier for visitors to reach us directly with fewer flights and added capacity within North America.”
Other changes at the airport have opened up opportunities in other international markets as well. In addition to Air Canada’s London-Heathrow route and Air France’s direct flight to Paris, Canadian carrier Air Transat recently announced plans to fly from Ottawa to London Gatwick Airport starting May 15, 2026.
These flights, Crockatt said, have allowed Ottawa Tourism to expand its marketing efforts in Europe, including targeting overseas businesses looking to relocate to or expand into the city.
“Direct connectivity is one of the ways we approach our overseas strategy,” he said. “London, as a market, offers a unique opportunity for Ottawa, from a leisure, tourism and business perspective. There’s strong interest from London-based meeting planners in bringing international conferences to Ottawa.”
He added that Ottawa travellers need to take advantage of the new flights.
“If we want these flights to succeed, we need to use them when we travel,” he said. “If you drive to Montreal to fly somewhere, you’re showing up as a data point that supports the Montreal market, which encourages airlines to add service there rather than in Ottawa. Flying to and from Ottawa is how we can show good performance and build confidence in our market.”
Overall, Crockatt said, the tourism market in the capital has finally bounced back from the pandemic lows it’s navigated for the past several years.
“We’re wrapping up our best year since 2019, with record-setting July and August months this summer,” he said.
