London, Ont. saw more than $1B in tourism spending in 2023: report

Tourism spending successful London, Ont., reached complete $1 cardinal successful 2023, according to a study from Tourism London.

The report, prepared by nan Conference Board of Canada, shows tourism spending successful nan metropolis roseate by 10.8 per cent past year, bringing successful an other $106.5 cardinal for nan section system compared pinch 2022. This brings nan yearly spending full for overnight visitors successful 2023 to a full of $1.08 billion.

“When we talk astir caller initiatives, initiatives done 100 Kellogg, nan initiatives and finance done East Park, what our restaurants are doing successful regards to building culinary beingness successful a very competitory marketplace and our UNESCO City of Music nickname has brought america into that world market,” says Cheryl Finn, wide head of Tourism London.

“Our staples are growing, for illustration Rock nan Park and Sunfest, nan aerial show. These are must-see and must-attend festivals and events now for galore group coming successful from each complete nan world.”

Earlier this month, Rock nan Park and Sunfest achieved grounds summons income and crowds.

The metropolis hosted astir 2.1 cardinal overnight visitors complete nan people of 2023, pinch 136,000 visitors from nan United States, 25,000 coming internationally and astir 2 cardinal home tourists. This tourism activity helped make astir $1,052 cardinal successful gross home merchandise (GDP) for nan province, and astir $616.1 cardinal for nan section economy.

“Our partners are incredibly consenting to travel to nan table,” Finn says. “None of this is done by ourselves, it’s ever successful collaboration pinch others, and we couldn’t beryllium much proud of those group that continually want to activity pinch us.”

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This is promising news for 2024 and tourism’s financial effect connected London, particularly arsenic nan manufacture originates to bounce backmost aft nan pandemic. This roar successful tourism supported 10,196 jobs provincially, 7,864 of which were successful London.

“We’re moving pinch our location tourism statement to put together astonishing packages for group coming successful for much than nan time trip,” Finn says. “So if you’re coming successful from different state aliases from nan United States, what would an itinerary successful southwestern Ontario look like?”

Food and beverages totalled $417.3 million, 38 per cent of full tourism spending, of which $311.1 cardinal was spent successful restaurants and $106.3 cardinal was spent successful stores.

“I’m thrilled by nan singular maturation successful tourism spending successful our metropolis this past year,” Mayor Josh Morgan says. “This summation highlights nan basal domiciled tourism plays successful enriching our community’s industries, supporting galore full-time jobs and contributing to nan well-being and occurrence of London.”