Fireworks are set off in Ottawa on Canada Day in 2024. The city's tourism director says hotel bookings for around the holiday have so far exceeded those of last year.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
The city of Ottawa is preparing for a busy Canada Day weekend, with tourism officials saying one reason is that many Canadians want to stay closer to home because of trade threats from the United States.
This year, Ottawa is expected to see the highest number of visitors since 2019, which was a record high of about 11 million people, said Jérôme Miousse, public affairs director of Ottawa Tourism. Ottawa had about 10 million visitors last year, he added.
Hotel bookings for around Canada Day so far have exceeded those of last year, Mr. Miousse said. “We’re happy with the numbers because they are higher than they’ve been in previous years, especially since the pandemic. It’s pretty much the highest it’s been since 2019 for Canada Day.”
Steve Ball, president of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, which represents 65 hotels in the area, said Canada Day is always a “pretty robust event,” and he expects several hotels to sell out.
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However, he said the midweek holiday this year − Canada Day is Tuesday − could make it more challenging for some people to travel for the celebrations.
Canadian Heritage runs the day’s events at LeBreton Flats, which is just west of Parliament Hill. This year’s evening concert lineup includes Sarah McLachlan, Blue Rodeo and Randy Bachman, among others. Spokesperson Ines Akué said in a statement that the department is expecting crowd sizes to be similar to previous years.
Last year, there were about 60,000 visitors throughout the day at LeBreton Flats Park, she said, while Parliament Hill had about 10,000 visitors. In 2019, more than 56,000 people came to Parliament Hill throughout the day, she said.
Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said in a statement that this year, Canada Day holds special meaning.
“Over the past few months, we have seen Canadians come together in a tremendous display of unity,” he said. “Whether by buying Canadian, exploring our country, cheering on our sports teams or celebrating our artists, Canadians have shown inspiring solidarity.”
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Ottawa usually sees a “significant uptick in visitors” for Canada Day weekends, Mr. Miousse said. His organization has designed the Visit Ottawa Pass to complement the federal government’s Canada Strong Pass, which includes free or discounted admissions for children and youth to Canada’s national museums.
The ByWard Market, located close to Parliament Hill, is often a key destination for tourists. ByWard Market District Authority executive director Zachary Dayler says businesses are expecting a bigger Canada Day than usual. He said that’s partly because of the “Elbows Up” movement, but also because the country is settling back into a sense of normalcy after the height of the pandemic.
“I get the sense that there’s a sense of celebration in the air, and we’re seeing that through an increase of bus tours that we’re seeing come into Ottawa,” he said.
Over all, he said the neighbourhood saw about 18 million visits in 2023 and 22 million visits in 2024. Those visits would be from both Ottawans and people visiting the city, he said, adding that he expects the numbers to continue to increase.
LeBreton Flats is also close to Ottawa’s Little Italy, and Preston Street BIA executive director Lindsay Childerhose said that many of the businesses she represents are gearing up to serve the influx of visitors.
Mr. Miousse said the summer tourism season starts in May, which saw stronger hotel-room booking numbers compared with 2024, he said. This June is expected to be on par with last year, he said, while July and August bookings are already higher than the previous year.
About 90 per cent of Ottawa’s visitors come from Canada, he said. The United States makes up about half of Ottawa’s international visitors, while the top overseas markets are Britain and France.
Over all, Canadian travellers choosing not to go to the United States could give a $8.8-billion boost to the domestic sector, according to a report from the Conference Board of Canada.
The organization’s April survey also found that about 27 per cent of Canadians expected to take a trip to the U.S. in the next few years, compared with 53 per cent who said the same in November, 2024.