Ontario tourism industry ’arms open’ with domestic travel up

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Ontario’s hotspot tourism operators have been preparing for the consequences of tensions in the U.S. and Canada, but have seen some attributed to increased demand among Canadian residents.

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Nevertheless, experts say a booming summer travel season is not a guarantee for the entire province, amidst ongoing economic uncertainty.

Prince Edward County business owners Rachel and Scott Clement said their initial concerns gave way to comforting positions as they added beaches, wine tours and camping less than three hours from Toronto and Ottawa at their cabins in popular destinations.

The siblings and their brother Nick own a company that operates tourism and manages short-term vacation rentals in the area. Last December, Clements began managing about 100 cabins at a resort near Shabanks Provincial Park – the first tariff order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which kicked off a trade war between Canada and its southern neighbors.

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“We’re worried we’ll lose bookings,” Scott said in a recent interview. “But as Canadians start rallies, I think we realize we’ll probably be better than we thought.”

Clements said the novelty of their cabin rentals makes it difficult to compare this year’s booking characters with those since 2024, but bookings at the resort are about 87% higher than last year’s bookings.

Rachel said it gave “a lot of relief.

“Our whole livelihood is tourism,” she said, pointing to past challenges related to the 19th pandemic restrictions.

“We are afraid we will be on another downturn and another period of uncertainty for the company.”

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Other businesses in Prince Edward County are also looking forward to a busy summer.

Picton Royal Hotel General Manager Sol Kornold said he had booked 25-30% more than last year.

April Brown, owner of Picton’s boutique June motel, said her bookings increased by about 10% compared to March 2024. Brown also operates at the June Motel locations in Sauble Beach and Beaver Valley in Ontario.

“People booked earlier than last year,” Brown said.

Many visitors to Prince Edward County are from GTA, Ottawa and Quebec. Brown said about 90% of people coming to her motel are from Toronto or Montreal, while Kornngold said at least 70% of customers are from GTA, visitors from the United States are “smatter”

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Sarah Fox, the county’s executive director for Visiting County, said the district’s tourism bureau reported that the increase in bookings was consistent. She said that preliminary data from short-term vacation rental booking platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO, such as Airbnb and VRBO, had 30-40% more bookings than last year.

“Everyone is excited,” Fox said. “Our operators (our operators) have seen a slight decline in business over the past few years and we are still trying to understand how prosperous we are in the tourism industry compared to the common season, which we basically describe as surpassing tourism.”

In the Niagara region, which attracts millions of American tourists each year, American travelers are expected to promote the promotion of summer tourism.

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Janice Thomson, CEO of Niagara Falls tourism, said the number of domestic tourists is increasing as Canadians “rediscover their national pride”, but there is also a flood of American tourists who are eager to make the most of the favorable currency exchange rate.

“American tourists are eager to come here,” she said.

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Niagara Falls usually have 12 million visitors from around the world every year, while the surrounding area attracts visitors to the region’s famous wineries and restaurants. Thomson estimates 40% of tourists from the United States

Still, some travel operators and experts warn that summer travel forecasts remain uncertain.

“No crystal ball can tell us exactly how things will be resolved, and there is a possibility of an imminent recession,” Fox said.

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Andrew Siegwart, president and CEO of the Ontario Tourism Association, agreed.

While he believes that Ontario’s major tourist hubs and smaller locations have reasons to remain optimistic about the busy season ahead, some businesses are starting at a slower pace.

Sigwatt said many tourism industries are waiting to see if tensions between Canada and the United States escalate with hiring summer employees and planning marketing activities or expansion.

“It will affect preparation when everything is open,” he said. “It’s a short-term issue, but it can drive long-term service delivery on track.”

There are also concerns about how Trump’s tariffs, especially those that affect the province’s auto industry, can affect Ontario’s employment and income levels.

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Siegwart warned that just because Canadians travel across the border, that doesn’t necessarily mean Ontario will stay in the province this summer. He said that while accommodation has promoted tourism in Ontario during the pandemic, travelers now have the option to visit other regions in Canada or abroad.

Siegwart said a survey of Ontario destinations found that 75% of U.S. respondents are unlikely to include tensions in U.S. Canada into their Ontario travel plans, but sticking to this market is still important.

Siegwart’s removal of the American flag in the current political atmosphere or booing the American anthem at a sporting event may “tickle”, but for Ontario, it’s also important to maintain hospitality for all visitors.

“The ‘elbow’ policy is important, but the hospitality arm of weapons is also important.”

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