London, Ont. saw more than $1B in tourism spending in 2023: report
Global News
This is promising news for 2024 and its financial impact on London, especially as the tourism industry begins to bounce back after the pandemic.
Tourism spending in London, Ont., reached over $1 billion in 2023, according to a report from Tourism London.
The report, prepared by the Conference Board of Canada, shows tourism spending in the city rose by 10.8 per cent last year, bringing in an extra $106.5 million for the local economy compared with 2022. This brings the yearly spending total for overnight tourists in 2023 to a total of $1.08 billion.
“When we talk about new initiatives, initiatives through 100 Kellogg, the initiatives and investment through East Park, what our restaurants are doing in regards to building culinary presence in a very competitive market and our UNESCO City of Music designation has brought us into that international market,” says Cheryl Finn, general manager of Tourism London.
“Our staples are growing, like Rock the Park and Sunfest, the air show. These are must-see and must-attend festivals and events now for many people coming in from all over the world.”
Earlier this month, Rock the Park and Sunfest achieved record ticket sales and crowds.
The city hosted nearly 2.1 million overnight visitors over the course of 2023, with 136,000 visitors from the United States, 25,000 coming internationally and nearly two million domestic tourists. This tourism activity helped generate roughly $1,052 million in gross domestic product (GDP) for the province, and nearly $616.1 million for the local economy.
“Our partners are incredibly willing to come to the table,” Finn says. “None of this is done by ourselves, it’s always in collaboration with others, and we couldn’t be more proud of those people that continually want to work with us.”
This is promising news for 2024 and tourism’s financial impact on London, especially as the industry begins to bounce back after the pandemic. This boom in tourism supported 10,196 jobs provincially, 7,864 of which were in London.
Alberta's UCP government is changing the rules to make it easier for citizens to force a referendum on issues such as the prospect of the province leaving Confederation.
An at-home DNA test given as a birthday gift solved an 80-year family mystery by revealing that a man in Quebec and a man in the Netherlands were long-lost brothers.
Lina Vargas was on the board for almost two years and told Global News that accountability and transparency are fundamental rights for all community members.
Industry Minister Melanie Joly told the House of Commons committee on international trade the move breaches federal contracts tied to manufacturing in Brampton and Windsor, Ont.
A targeted home invasion and kidnapping led to a gunpoint standoff with police and an overnight chase across Toronto. Two suspects remain at large, investigators say.
In a post on his LinkedIn account, Simon Donner says he resigned on Tuesday and he is grateful for the opportunity to help shape climate policy in Canada.
The development charges can vary greatly from city to city, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report found.
The three leaders will be in Washington, D.C., for the FIFA World Cup draw, marking the first time they will be in the same room together.
Flu season has arrived early, with CHEO reporting eight times more cases than last year as hospitals warn of rising infections among children and seniors.
Nova Scotia’s largest utility is responding to a stinging letter from Premier Tim Houston by insisting it hasn't broken any laws.
A British Columbia Liberal MP said Prime Minister Mark Carney "will have to answer" questions on why he reversed a budget commitment on tax credits in Alberta energy deal.
AFN Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said Budget 2025 failed First Nations because it did not include more infrastructure funding and educational resources for their communities.
Conservation officers in B.C. say they've captured four more grizzly bears that are being tested to determine if they were involved in an attack on a school group last month.