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• Stefanie Siska, C’est Bon Ottawa, Chair of the Board
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'This is a city that has a great reputation right now,' says incoming Ottawa Tourism CEO Michael Crockatt

Michael Crockatt, the 41-year-old former vice-president of business development and marketing at the Ottawa International Airport Authority, talks to the Citizen's DON BUTLER about his new job as president and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, which starts March 7.

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Michael Crockatt, the 41-year-old former vice-president of business development and marketing at the Ottawa International Airport Authority, talks to the Citizen’s Don Butler  about his new job as president and CEO of Ottawa Tourism , which starts March 7.

  Q: You’ve chaired the boards of Ottawa Tourism and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and were named Ottawa’s tourism volunteer of the year in 2011. Why are you so interested in tourism?

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A: It’s an easy industry to love. One of the great things about this job is being able to be out there telling people how great Ottawa is. It’s a nice business to be part of.  

Q: What’s so terrific about Ottawa?

A: We’re lucky in this community. We have a lot of amazing assets here. The infrastructure we have — the museums, the Rideau Canal — those are things that give us an opportunity to deal from a position of strength. I wouldn’t say that people who live here take it for granted, but when you come from somewhere else, you get a chance to really experiences the city in depth. You really do come to appreciate those things that we have in this community that other places just don’t have.

Q: Has Ottawa shaken off its reputation as the town that fun forgot?

A:  I think this is a city that has a great reputation out there right now. People who have the opportunity to come here now see the city for what it is now. It is a great place to visit and a great place to live. We’re going to try to leverage that for more growth in the future. 

Q: Is there still work to be done to get the message out?

A: Definitely. The job is never done. We want to get that positive message out to people in New York and China. But so does every other destination. It’s a very competitive industry, and it’s very marketing driven. It’s fun, but it’s a big challenge for us as well.

Q: Next year is 2017, Canada’s 150 th  birthday. How can you take full advantage of that?

A: That’s probably the single biggest priority for our organization. We know 2017 is going to be successful. But ensuring that all these people who are coming to Ottawa are our greatest ambassadors and are evangelists for Ottawa after the fact through their personal channels is going to be very important. Our job is to look at 2017 not as the peak of tourism in Ottawa, but really as the new floor. We’ve got to build from there going forward.

Q: Last month, Ottawa Tourism released its 2016 priorities. One was to return responsibility for events like Winterlude and Canada Day to the National Capital Commission. Will you be campaigning for that?

A: Those celebrations are such an important part of the tourism product in this community. If the best way to do it is to have them within the NCC then yes, that’s what we should be doing.

Q: What are your other priorities?

A: We want to make sure that we are one of Canada’s top-tier meeting and conventions destinations. We know we’ve got a great asset in the Shaw Centre. That, combined with the other infrastructure in this community, makes it an attractive place to have events like that.

Another is taking advantage of the Rideau Canal. It’s such an incredible asset to have going right through the middle of our community. Over the long term we should be developing that as even more of a jewel than it already is.

Q: Would you like to see a portrait gallery in the former American embassy across from Parliament Hill?

A: It’s a great opportunity to use an amazing building in an amazing location for a project that has a lot of support already. It seems that there’s some momentum that’s regaining on that project, which is great.

Q: What are the biggest challenges Ottawa Tourism faces?  

A: Competition is definitely one of them. We are competing with more than 200 other destinations for somebody’s attention in China. You can imagine how difficult it is for us to get our message across to them.

Overall funding for tourism in Canada is a challenge as well. Our federal partner, Destination Canada, has had its budget reduced in recent years. There are other communities and countries where the budgets are very strong for spending on tourism marketing. So competing with them is a challenge.

 Q: What’s your overall budget?

A: Between $13 million and $14 million. The largest piece is through the relationship we have with the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association through the destination marketing fee.

Q: It sounds like a lot of money, but when you’ve got to get your message out to the entire world, it can disappear pretty fast.

A: It does, especially because we’ve got a lot of segments that we’re pursuing. But that’s our job: to spend those resources in the smartest and most strategic and most effective way possible.

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Ottawa Tourism CEO: “We would become obsolete” without modern strategic planning

Destination marketing strategy + strategic planning + topic: case studies.

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When Michael Crockatt joined Ottawa Tourism as President & CEO in 2016, the city was on the verge of a big moment.

Ottawa was about to become the epicentre of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2017. Tourism was expected to increase by 6.0% in overnight visits as a result. It was an ideal time for the destination marketing organization (DMO) to harness that momentum and claim its place as an internationally respected G7 capital city.

To do this, Ottawa Tourism needed a fresh destination marketing strategy. The DMO and its CEO saw the need to adapt to rapid changes in visitor behaviour, in digital marketing, in the workplace and in the city of Ottawa.

Evolving with the times also meant managing organizational change – always a challenging prospect.

“If we continued to operate as a traditional DMO, we would become obsolete.” – Michael Crockatt, President & CEO at Ottawa Tourism

In its quest to remain on the cutting edge, Ottawa Tourism asked Destination Think to help design a five-year destination marketing strategy  in 2017, using our specialized process to engage and align tourism stakeholders.

Best of all, this strategy isn’t collecting dust. The process has also helped to channel the DMO team’s desire for change into meaningful actions that will accomplish the recommendations of the new strategy.

We sat down with Michael to ask him why the five-year strategy is so important for Ottawa, what was unique about the process and how his team has begun to turn ambition into reality.

Destination Think: What did you want to achieve with Ottawa Tourism’s new five-year strategy?

Michael Crockatt, President & CEO at Ottawa Tourism

Michael Crockatt, President & CEO at Ottawa Tourism: Early on in my time with Ottawa Tourism I became convinced that if we continued to operate as a traditional DMO, we would become obsolete because there were entities and companies and technologies that could do many of the things that DMOs have traditionally been doing, and maybe even doing them better than we can.

I kept an open mind. I didn’t know what exactly what we needed to look like at the end of the strategic planning process, but I knew we needed to go in a different direction. I wanted a little bit of validation for that, but also some guidance on how to transition a traditional DMO into a more modern, adaptable, flexible DMO. Organizationally, that was the goal.

There was also recognition (especially since the DestinationNEXT analysis ) that we were at the beginning of a significant period of change for Ottawa as a destination. The way people are talking and thinking about Ottawa has changed, and we’ve seen that continue and even accelerate in 2017.

2017 has been such a special year for Ottawa, so it was the right time for us to make changes as an organization to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of us.

What was the process like when you embarked on this project? Can you describe the collaboration with Destination Think?

I’d say it was very smooth. I’ve been on both sides of the equation, so I know it’s not always easy to blend in with an organization when you’re coming at it from the consulting side of things, but Frank Cuypers (Senior Strategic Consultant with Destination Think) was exactly the right person for us to work with. I remember the first time we met, and I came away from that knowing we were going to have a very good ally on our side to help us through this with our team and with our stakeholders.

What has happened since you released the five-year strategy?

We started doing the actions recommended in the strategic plan document – the things that your team invented. We’ve assigned someone at Ottawa Tourism to lead each one of those items. Some of them are already in place.

We’ve made some organizational changes. We can check off some of them as being accomplished, and some of them are longer term. One of the longer-term projects was to uncover Ottawa’s Place DNA® , and we are doing that together [with Destination Think] as well. Place DNA® is one of the most important pieces. To see the progress that we’ve made is fun and encouraging, and it’s going to inform a lot of our marketing and messaging in 2018.

There is more work to be done on niche markets – we know we can’t do it all at once. But we also know that we’re not going to let this sit on the shelf and tick the box to say, “yes, we did a strategic plan.” That wouldn’t help us. We’re heading in the direction we need.

You’re talking about a commitment to change and then ensuring that it happens, which is something that we don’t always see. It’s easy to pay a consultant to evolve or tweak – but meaningful change at the DMO seems to come from within, from a coalition of the willing. Despite roadblocks, it does seem that you’ve taken the recommended actions.

I agree. We did have a coalition of the willing. The entire organization has fully bought into the way we’re going.

But I also think that strategy is a reflection of our desire within our organization and our community to elevate the discussion about Ottawa so that we are in that next-level group of global destinations that people are talking about and hearing about. That is what’s exciting to us.

This means that when a DMO comes to you and asks, “Where is a DMO that’s doing it right?” your answer isn’t just Copenhagen and Austin, but it’s also Ottawa. We’re not there yet, but I think we’re getting there.

Everything is in place. Often, we see top-down or bottom-up desire to change, but one without the other doesn’t work. Where do you think your team got that desire and motivation from? Change can be scary.

In many parts of our organization, there has been a strong desire to modernize, think differently and do our marketing and sales activities differently. But the support wasn’t in place. In some cases, the people who wanted to change weren’t in positions of sufficient influence to make it happen on their own.

We were able to unleash that desire [to modernize and think differently] within the organization during the strategic planning process. We did this partly through our own actions and partly through one of Destination Think’s recommendations – to get into a flatter organizational structure, which we have done.

We’ve also tried to empower the whole team. We do a lot of listening to what the team has to say and what they are observing.

For example, we had a firmly worded dress code policy in the past. We heard that the policy wasn’t what our team wanted. So we said, “Ok, then design one.” The team designed one, and it’s very professional. Everyone has bought into it and supported it.

We’ve done the same thing with our remote working policy. We didn’t really have one before, so we handed that over to our team to make recommendations. They’ve done so, and we’re implementing the technology changes we need to facilitate it.

The workplace is changing just as rapidly as our environment is changing. I think that empowering our people and recognizing that they need a change of environment, as well as a change in direction, is a healthy thing.

What advice would you give to other CEOs of destination marketing organizations (DMOs)?

One of the benefits I had coming into this business is that I knew I wasn’t the expert in any of these areas. I’ve been involved in tourism, but only on the periphery. I’d never worked for a DMO or a pure tourism organization before joining Ottawa Tourism, so I knew there were 30+ other people in this organization who had more DMO experience than I did. I did much more listening than talking at the beginning.

Your advice and advice from others has been extremely valuable to help point us in the right direction. Coming in with no preconceived notions of what the organization should look like was helpful.

And I use the principles of open-mindedness, listening and trusting our team. I believe we have the best DMO team in the country. I trust all of them to do great things for our destination. We’re very fortunate to have the team we’ve got.

We are only at the beginning of a long process. It’s a very exciting time to live in Ottawa.

Click to read Ottawa Tourism’s five-year strategy. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. 

Editor’s note: Our original article inaccurately implied that Ottawa Tourism is a government entity, instead of an independent, not-for-profit corporation. This has been corrected.

Destination Think helps DMOs like Ottawa Tourism and Wonderful Copenhagen with modern strategic planning that makes an impact. Contact us to learn how this process can help your destination.

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News Release

Ontario Investing in Ottawa’s Tourism Sector

Funding provides stability and supports industry recovery in Canada’s capital city

July 6, 2021

Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries

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Quick facts, related topics.

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing $8 million in Ottawa Tourism and the Ottawa Convention Centre (Shaw Centre) to support tourism sector recovery in one of Ontario’s key gateway cities.

Details were provided today by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries during an announcement alongside Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, and Shaw Centre President and CEO, Nina Kressler.

“Large gateway cities like Ottawa have keenly felt the impact of COVID-19. That’s why our government is making these strategic investments – to foster industry sustainability and to support our convention centre in a key gateway city that attracts a high volume of visitors,” said Minister MacLeod. “This funding will enable the Shaw Centre and Ottawa Tourism to continue to adapt and respond to the new realities facing tourism businesses – ensuring that, when it is safe to do so, they are prepared for a renewed leisure and business travel interest in Canada’s capital.”

Ottawa Tourism will receive $6 million to help with workforce development, marketing a regional brand and creating new niche tourism products and activities – leading to a stronger industry and increased visitation that will benefit regions across the province. The funding will be used to help alleviate losses, aid in recovery, and ensure Ottawa’s tourism businesses are ready to attract more visitors to the national capital region. Many out-of-province visitors to Ontario’s other regions begin or end their time in Ontario in gateway cities such as Toronto and Ottawa.

The Shaw Centre will receive up to $2 million in stabilization funding this year to support its continued operation and maintenance. The funding will be used to cover core operating costs, such as rent, utilities, insurance, and health and safety costs, enabling the Shaw Centre to sustain operations, prevent insolvency and prepare for re-opening.

These investments will help sustain operations, protect jobs, and support short- and long-term recovery planning amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Ottawa Tourism is an independent, industry-led not-for-profit that works with more than 450 tourism-related member businesses to profile Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region as a diverse place to visit or host major meetings and events.
• Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy , brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health and $23.3 billion to protect our economy. Ontario’s COVID-19 action plan support now totals $51 billion.
• Ontario is investing more than $400 million over the next three years in new initiatives to support tourism, culture, sport and recreation sectors. This builds on investments of $225 million announced earlier, bringing the total support for these sectors to more than $625 million since the pandemic began.
• Tourism in the capital region contributes significantly to the Ontario economy. In 2018, overseas visitors spending in the Ottawa Tourism region generated over $708 million.
• In 2020, Ontario’s hotel industry saw record lows, with occupancy in downtown Ottawa down more than 40 percentage points.

"Ottawa Tourism looks forward to investing these provincial funds into initiatives that will lead to increased visitation to this region and to our urban businesses that have seen added challenges. Our member businesses have shown their creativity and resiliency throughout the pandemic and will continue to innovate as we welcome visitors back to Canada's capital. A strong visitor economy is important for Ottawa’s recovery." - Michael Crockatt President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism

"This critical funding will allow us to maintain our core operations and ensure that the Shaw Centre remains a safe and welcoming space for our guests as we plan for a brighter future. Minister MacLeod has been a tremendous advocate for our industry, one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic. We look forward to working alongside our partner, Ottawa Tourism, to attract business events to and generate economic impact for this great city." - Nina Kressler President and CEO, Shaw Centre

"This new funding is an excellent opportunity to encourage Ontarians to visit our nation’s capital, and experience the history, art, landmarks, picturesque towns and all that Ottawa has to offer. The tourism industry has taken a hit during these challenging times. Today’s announcement reinforces our government’s commitment to support the people of Ottawa and Ontario as we get our tourism economy back on track." - Goldie Ghamari MPP for Carleton

"Ottawa’s tourism sector has been hard hit by the pandemic. With today’s announcement, we can start getting back on our feet. Our beautiful city has so much to offer and I know that Ottawa residents and businesses can’t wait to welcome back tourists to our impressive cultural landmarks, fantastic bars and restaurants, and beautiful landscape." - Jeremy Roberts MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean

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As pandemic restrictions begin to lift and Ottawans start contemplating expanding their horizons for the first time in 15+ months, the city’s tourism businesses are cautiously optimistic that they will be able to extend their hospitality to visitors as the year continues.

As the agency tasked with promoting Ottawa to vacationers, meeting planners, tour operators, travel media, and organizers of major events, Ottawa Tourism has used the time of the pandemic to rethink its approach to reflect the new reality.

“We worked to secure resources to help our business members make it through the pandemic, while also spending time building the foundation for tourism’s recovery,” says Michael Crockatt, Ottawa Tourism’s President and CEO. “We are a data-driven organization with a skilled and engaged board and creative member businesses. Our team is ready to implement the strategies we’ve developed over the past months.”

Observant followers on social media will have seen a gradual shift in Ottawa Tourism’s approach, reflecting a brand crafted through real-world data on how Ottawa is perceived by locals and outsiders. As Canada’s capital, Ottawa plays a unique role in sharing Canada’s stories: from its role as a traditional meeting and trading place for First Nations peoples, its wealth of national museums and institutions, and its bilingual nature to its four-season outdoor activities, thriving foodie and craft beer scenes, and welcoming and inclusive values.

Before the pandemic, 43,000 people were employed by the tourism industry in Ottawa and visitors to the region contributed $2.2 billion in spending to the local economy. In 2020, $1.4 billion of that spending was lost; with the same amount of loss predicted for 2021

Ottawa truly is Canada in one city.

In its research, Ottawa Tourism found that Ottawans are incredibly proud of their city but don’t always express that pride in a public way. Through its promotions and social media activities, especially its use of the #MyOttawa hashtag, the agency encourages people to share their pride.

Before the pandemic, 43,000 people were employed by the tourism industry in Ottawa and visitors to the region contributed $2.2 billion in spending to the local economy. In 2020, $1.4 billion of that spending was lost; with the same amount of loss predicted for 2021.

While that is a dire situation, there are steps that can be taken to improve conditions. In fact, if each household in Ottawa were to invite just two people to spend three nights in Ottawa sometime in 2021, that would inject half a billion dollars into the local economy and support the equivalent of 1,500 jobs. Small individual actions can generate huge cumulative results.

Local Ottawans can keep informed on what’s happening by subscribing to Ottawa Tourism’s weekly emailer—What’s Happening in the Ottawa Area—that highlights a dozen or so available activities over the next seven days.

Ottawa Tourism also launched—originally in April 2021—the Room Service Concert Series: An Ottawa Hotel Exclusive at 20 participating hotels. Ontario’s stay-at-home order meant the promotion had to be postponed until now. RBC Ottawa Bluesfest curated eight nights of music and comedy programming over four weekends between June 18 and July 10, 2021 that is exclusively available through the televisions in the rooms of those hotels. Residents are encouraged to book a getaway in a different part of town, order in some food, and enjoy performances by Lennon Stella, Colin James, Walk Off The Earth, and more!

The beauty of Room Service is its flexibility: with 20 hotels to choose from, people can splurge or save, or hang out in a new-to-them part of the city. Those who want to have a meal on a patio can do so, while others may prefer to order in. Guests can bring their bikes and explore a new pathway, or stay downtown and explore the ByWard Market neighbourhood, or Elgin Street, or Sparks Street. Their reward is an exclusive concert!

And while leisure visits may rebound somewhat in 2021, as vaccinations continue and restrictions are lifted, the meetings and conventions and major events fields will be slower to recover. Ottawa Tourism encourages those who are active in professional associations, or who regularly attend training sessions or other conventions, to contemplate hosting those events here in Ottawa and showcasing their own expertise. People don’t need to be a professional meeting planner either to make it happen: Ottawa Tourism can help prepare a successful bid and provide resources to make the journey easier.

The same goes for sporting events across the spectrum: from children’s tournaments to prestigious international competitions, Ottawa has the resources and the expertise to host the world and Ottawa Tourism and its partners can help make it happen.

The festivals industry is another aspect of tourism that will be a bit slower to recover, though many Ottawa festivals have made successful pivots to virtual editions, including the Canadian Tulip Festival and the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival to just name two.

So as Ottawans contemplate travelling again, they are also encouraged to invite friends, relatives, and business associates to visit Ottawa, where the tourism industry is waiting with open arms to share amazing experiences in a safe and sustainable way.

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COMMUNITY LEADERS LAY GROUNDWORK TO BUILD UP DOWNTOWN OTTAWA

Ottawa, ON – There is an immediate need to transform Downtown Ottawa into a diverse, resilient, and vibrant urban center. The Ottawa Board of Trade’s Downtown Summit held on November 23, 2023, brought key stakeholders together to refine their united goal – and all agree, the time for change and action is now.

“We brought together business and community leaders to discuss how we can transform and build a downtown core that will serve the next generation – and we learned that the opportunities are limitless,” said Sueling Ching, President of the Ottawa Board of Trade. “The issues our downtown is facing are complex and require an all-hands-on deck approach to plan and action a transformation”.

Over 100 community leaders participated in working groups to provide feedback and find common ground on OBOT’s four main pillars for downtown transformation:

• Affordable, walkable amenity rich communities
• Public and private investment in infrastructure, public realm and placemaking
• Employment growth and economic diversification
• Safety and security for workers, residents, visitors, and vulnerable people

The Ottawa Board of Trade will be integrating the feedback received at the summit and fine-tuning the recommendations, including accountability and performance measures.

The final report and Downtown Ottawa Action Plan are being prepared by the Canadian Urban Institute with the support of the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Tourism, the NCC and other partners, and will be released in early 2024. While the report is being finalized, OBOT has identified five immediate actions government and community partners are encouraged to work towards:

• Guarantee 10-Year PILT (payments in lieu of taxes) and support for transition of core from federal government.
• Fund transit gap from federal and provincial governments to enhance mobility to the core.
• Pilot an incentive strategy to build more residential units and support office-toresidential and other adaptive re-use developments.
• Commit to a collaborative effort including experts in homelessness and support service providers, and funding from all levels of government to urgently address homelessness, mental health, and addictions.
• Prioritize Public Realm Investments and Create Downtown Animation Fund to enhance vibrancy.

Learn more at buildupottawa.ca/downtown

Quotes from community leaders:

“The Downtown Summit brought together the top community leaders and experts in our city,” said Brendan McGuinty, Chair of the Board, Ottawa Board of Trade. “We are confident in our ability to unlock the full potential of downtown Ottawa and deliver a plan backed by experts with best practices from other metropolitan cities around the world.”

“I am excited at the momentum of many parts of our community coming together to transform Downtown Ottawa for the better. With collaborative action and bold leadership from all members of Team Ottawa, I am confident that real change can be brought to our core for the benefit of all residents of our city.” – His Worship Mayor Mark Sutcliffe

“Ottawa is facing a housing crisis like never before. With the transformation of our downtown core, we have an opportunity to create a safe, inclusive community where everyone has an affordable, appropriate home.” – Kaite Burkholder Harris, Executive Director, Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa

“We’re ready to work together to build a downtown that highlights Ottawa's strengths as a culturally rich and diverse destination that represents all of Canada in one city, drawing in visitors from across the country and the world. This is a crucial moment for our city, an opportunity for growth and innovation. Ottawa Tourism is proud to be a part of this transformative journey.” – Michael Crockatt, President & CEO, Ottawa Tourism

About The Ottawa Board of Trade:

The Ottawa Board of Trade is the voice of business in Ottawa. We advocate for collaborative and sustainable community prosperity, and build support for local businesses as they launch, pivot, or grow. We are champions of the City of Ottawa as the best place to live, work and invest.

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Ottawa Tourism and The Hague & Partners celebrate five years of partnership with renewed agreement

In additional to the signing of the MOU, Monday saw Ottawa host more than 150 UK-based event professionals and travel trade experts in London, highlighting everything Ottawa has to offer.

Ottawa Tourism and The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau announced the renewal of their ground-breaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday, which was originally signed five years ago.

The partnership, which was first signed in The Hague in 2019, exists to identify and win business events that are strategically aligned to both destinations through:

• Joint sales activity through a variety of channels, including live industry events.
• Creation of joint research and intelligence focused on mutually relevant sectors.
• Identification of new clients where both cities would be of interest.
• Identification and introduction to historic clients of either city that would interest the other.

The renewal was held during a significant mayoral visit from Ottawa’s Mayor to London, underlining Ottawa’s strong ties and commitment to the European business events and travel sector.

Michael Crockatt , President & CEO, Ottawa Tourism, expressed his enthusiasm for the continued collaboration, stating, “This renewed agreement marks not just a continuation, but a strengthening of our fruitful partnership with The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau. Over the past five years, we have seen remarkable mutual benefits, new business wins and commercial growth as part of the partnership. This was particularly true during the challenging times of the COVID-19 crisis, during which we were able to share best practice and knowledge to support each other.”

Bas Schot , Head of The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau, echoed these sentiments: “Our collaboration with Ottawa Tourism is a testament to international cooperation and innovation.  A particular example is the creation of the Hybrid City Alliance, which was born out of the Ottawa / Hague collaboration but went on to include more than 25 cities around the world, leading to the winning of an ICCA Best Marketing Award, setting a benchmark in the global meetings industry.”

Mark Sutcliffe , Mayor of Ottawa concluded: “Ottawa and The Hague were brought together by history more than 75 years ago. We have built an incredible relationship that has led to some terrific results. This agreement will ensure our successful collaboration continues and that we will work effectively together to attract events and visitors to both cities. I’m excited to see the results for both Ottawa and The Hague.”

Tuesday’s renewal not only celebrates past achievements but also sets the course for future collaboration, ensuring continued success and innovation in the business events and travel industry for both cities.

Vicky Karantzavelou

Vicky  is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the  Editor-in Chief . She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.com/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ SHR expands its Global Advisory Board, uniting industry leaders to strengthen innovation in the hospitality industry
• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.com/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ Mastercard transforms the fight against scams with latest AI tech
• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.com/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ Banyan Group releases 2023 Sustainability Report
• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.com/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ Revenues 12.8b and EBIT Adjusted 0.6b for Airbus in the First Quarter of 2024

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Mayor Mark Sutcliffe met with airline industry executives in London on Monday, as he continues his trade mission to promote the capital as a tourism destination.

Sutcliffe has joined officials from Ottawa Tourism and Invest Ottawa for the trip to the United Kingdom, where he will be a speaker at the SportsPro Live 2024 conference on Tuesday.

On Monday, Sutcliffe said he met with airline industry executives to "support the Ottawa Airport's efforts to attract more flights" between Ottawa and Europe.

"I hear often from Ottawa residents and business owners that they want more direct flights to international destinations, including London," Sutcliffe said on social media. "It’s a long-term process but we hope to make some progress in the months ahead."

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There is currently one direct flight from Ottawa to Europe. Air France continues to expand its service between the Ottawa Airport and Paris.

Sutcliffe was criticized on social media earlier this month when he announced plans to join Ottawa Tourism on the trade mission, saying he would be running in the London Marathon.

The mayor completed the London Marathon on Sunday in just over four hours. On Saturday, Sutcliffe posted photos on social media spending time at the Ottawa Race Weekend booth at the London Marathon Race Expo.

Ottawa Tourism said it was covering the cost of Sutcliffe's travel and accommodations while in London for the business trip. Sutcliffe said he would pay for any expenses related to the marathon.

Ottawa Tourism told CTV News Ottawa they invited Sutcliffe on the trip, "which will allow for him to engage directly with key stakeholders through targeted meetings and networking opportunities."

"Ottawa Tourism continues its efforts in business development within key international markets to promote Canada’s capital as a prime destination for business and leisure travel," Ottawa Tourism said in a statement.

"This year's mission to the UK, Ottawa’s top overseas market, will last 4 days/3 nights and aims to provide opportunities for our delegation to join forces and meet with new and existing contacts to encourage business in our destination, from meetings and conventions to major events, tour operators, and beyond.

"The focus is to highlight Ottawa's strengths as a destination to business and leisure travellers, as well as its potential for economic development and event hosting."

Sutcliffe is scheduled to speak at the SportsPro Live conference on Tuesday, with the topic, 'How Ottawa became a major sports hub.'

The SportsPro Live website says Sutcliffe will discuss Ottawa's approach to hosting major events and what the plans are for the future.

The mayor said he's also using the trip to London to meet with the executives of international companies that have a "significant presence in Ottawa", to encourage them to "invest more in the growth of those companies in Ottawa."

This is Sutcliffe's second international trip as Mayor of Ottawa. Last June, Sutcliffe joined Ottawa Tourism on a trade mission to Paris.

Former Mayor Jim Watson led trade missions to the Netherlands, Beijing and India.

I hear often from Ottawa residents and business owners that they want more direct flights to international destinations, including London. Today #TeamOttawa met with airline industry executives to support the Ottawa Airport’s efforts to attract more flights. It’s a long-term… pic.twitter.com/4QTJ8R7FaS — Mark Sutcliffe (@_MarkSutcliffe) April 22, 2024

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Home › News › 1,000 Global Delegates Unite in Ottawa to Discuss and Celebrate the Vibrant World of Indigenous Tourism

1,000 Global Delegates Unite in Ottawa to Discuss and Celebrate the Vibrant World of Indigenous Tourism

The International Indigenous Tourism Conference “Where Nations Meet,” brings together global tourism leaders and Indigenous operators

Algonquin Anishinabeg Territory (Ottawa, ON) – February 27, 2024 – The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) kicked off its annual International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC), bringing 1,000 global delegates to Ottawa.

The conference runs from February 26-28 at the Shaw Centre on Algonquin Anishinabeg Territory in Ottawa, ON. This year’s theme, “Where Nations Meet,” will see Indigenous operators, funding partners and industry supporters join a focused conversation on how the global Indigenous tourism sector will continue to flourish. Major announcements are anticipated to roll out over the next couple of days from Canada’s Minister of Tourism as well as major tourism brands.

“Ottawa Tourism is proud to be welcoming the 2024 International Indigenous Tourism Conference, the world’s largest Indigenous tourism business event. This is a great time to showcase our city’s and neighbouring communities’ Indigenous tourism operators, performers, artists, and storytellers,” says Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “We believe in ITAC’s vision, that tourism is Reconciliation in action, because tourism is not only an economic driver for communities and for individuals, but also because it is entirely built around person-to-person experiences. We know that through the connections and collaboration that will happen here this week, our industry has the capacity to really make a difference in this space, to bolster even more meaningful and authentic Indigenous experiences across Canada and the world, including in our very own city.”

Caption: The International Indigenous Tourism Conference welcomed 1,000 international delegates to Ottawa with a Grand Entry on February 27. Photo Credit: Simon Ratcliffe

“Indigenous tourism brings economic stability, education, training, and job creation to communities that are often overlooked by global governments,” said Keith Henry, President and CEO of ITAC. “It’s no secret that the pandemic, coupled with economic factors such as rising interest rates have had a devastating impact on our national industry. The 2024 IITC, Where Nations Meet, provides an opportunity to unite with Indigenous and non-Indigenous tourism leaders and continue to grow the industry so that it is stronger, more sustainable and more resilient than before.”

Caption: President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, Keith Henry, shares the vision to make Canada a world leader in tourism by 2030 at the International Indigenous Tourism Conference held in Ottawa. Photo Credit: Simon Ratcliffe

This morning’s keynote address, led by Keith Henry entitled “ITAC Keynote: Vision 2030,” highlighted the work ITAC has undertaken over the past year – with a focus on marketing, development, leadership and partnerships – to make Canada the world leader in Indigenous tourism by 2030.

Other sessions include discussions on The Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, reconciliation, sustainability, emergency preparedness, and more. To view the full conference agenda, click here .

For more information on the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC), click here .

For IITC images, b-roll and a media kit, click here .

About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is a national non-profit Indigenous tourism industry organization established in 2015. ITAC is the lead organization tasked with growing and promoting the Indigenous tourism industry across the country. Inspired by a vision for a thriving Indigenous tourism economy sharing authentic, memorable and enriching experiences, ITAC develops relationships with groups and regions with similar mandates to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous tourism businesses in a respectful protocol.

English Media Requests

Krystal Carter tartanbond on behalf of ITAC 1-647-271-2274 [email protected]

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Jen Dulude-LeBlanc tartanbond on behalf of ITAC 1-403-707-7549 [email protected]

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Ontario Investing in Ottawa’s Tourism Sector

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing $8 million in Ottawa Tourism and the Ottawa Convention Centre (Shaw Centre) to support tourism sector recovery in one of Ontario’s key gateway cities.

Details were provided today by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries during an announcement alongside Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism, and Shaw Centre President and CEO, Nina Kressler.

“Large gateway cities like Ottawa have keenly felt the impact of COVID-19. That’s why our government is making these strategic investments – to foster industry sustainability and to support our convention centre in a key gateway city that attracts a high volume of visitors,” said Minister MacLeod. “This funding will enable the Shaw Centre and Ottawa Tourism to continue to adapt and respond to the new realities facing tourism businesses – ensuring that, when it is safe to do so, they are prepared for a renewed leisure and business travel interest in Canada’s capital.”

Ottawa Tourism will receive $6 million to help with workforce development, marketing a regional brand and creating new niche tourism products and activities – leading to a stronger industry and increased visitation that will benefit regions across the province. The funding will be used to help alleviate losses, aid in recovery, and ensure Ottawa’s tourism businesses are ready to attract more visitors to the national capital region. Many out-of-province visitors to Ontario’s other regions begin or end their time in Ontario in gateway cities such as Toronto and Ottawa.

The Shaw Centre will receive up to $2 million in stabilization funding this year to support its continued operation and maintenance. The funding will be used to cover core operating costs, such as rent, utilities, insurance, and health and safety costs, enabling the Shaw Centre to sustain operations, prevent insolvency and prepare for re-opening.

These investments will help sustain operations, protect jobs, and support short- and long-term recovery planning amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quick Facts

Ottawa Tourism is an independent, industry-led not-for-profit that works with more than 450 tourism-related member businesses to profile Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region as a diverse place to visit or host major meetings and events.

Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health and $23.3 billion to protect our economy. Ontario’s COVID-19 action plan support now totals $51 billion.

Ontario is investing more than $400 million over the next three years in new initiatives to support tourism, culture, sport and recreation sectors. This builds on investments of $225 million announced earlier, bringing the total support for these sectors to more than $625 million since the pandemic began.

Tourism in the capital region contributes significantly to the Ontario economy. In 2018, overseas visitors spending in the Ottawa Tourism region generated over $708 million.

In 2020, Ontario’s hotel industry saw record lows, with occupancy in downtown Ottawa down more than 40 percentage points. Quotes

“Ottawa Tourism looks forward to investing these provincial funds into initiatives that will lead to increased visitation to this region and to our urban businesses that have seen added challenges. Our member businesses have shown their creativity and resiliency throughout the pandemic and will continue to innovate as we welcome visitors back to Canada’s capital. A strong visitor economy is important for Ottawa’s recovery.” – Michael Crockatt President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism

“This critical funding will allow us to maintain our core operations and ensure that the Shaw Centre remains a safe and welcoming space for our guests as we plan for a brighter future. Minister MacLeod has been a tremendous advocate for our industry, one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic. We look forward to working alongside our partner, Ottawa Tourism, to attract business events to and generate economic impact for this great city.” – Nina Kressler President and CEO, Shaw Centre

“This new funding is an excellent opportunity to encourage Ontarians to visit our nation’s capital, and experience the history, art, landmarks, picturesque towns and all that Ottawa has to offer. The tourism industry has taken a hit during these challenging times. Today’s announcement reinforces our government’s commitment to support the people of Ottawa and Ontario as we get our tourism economy back on track.” – Goldie Ghamari MPP for Carleton

“Ottawa’s tourism sector has been hard hit by the pandemic. With today’s announcement, we can start getting back on our feet. Our beautiful city has so much to offer and I know that Ottawa residents and businesses can’t wait to welcome back tourists to our impressive cultural landmarks, fantastic bars and restaurants, and beautiful landscape.” – Jeremy Roberts MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean

Dick Brown to join Ottawa Tourism as interim President and CEO

Jul 8, 2015   |   Festival and Event Industry   Industry News   Tourism Industry

Formerly led the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association

Ottawa Tourism announced today that Dick Brown, former head of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, will act as the tourism association’s interim President and CEO, effective Monday, July 13, 2015, after the departure of Noel Buckley, who led the organization for the past seven and a half years.

Geoff Publow, Chair of Ottawa Tourism, said, “Ottawa Tourism has a solid team and solid plans in place; the board of directors is confident in Dick Brown’s ability to oversee our sales and marketing efforts as we seek a permanent replacement for Noel Buckley.”

“I am pleased to work with the board of directors, members and staff of Ottawa Tourism,” said Dick Brown, “as well as with the Destination Marketing Program, the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, and our municipal, provincial and federal partners. I look forward to continuing the strong work that has been done to date to promote Canada’s capital at home and abroad.”

About Ottawa Tourism Ottawa Tourism provides destination marketing, strategic direction and leadership in cooperation with members and partners to attract visitors, tours and conventions to Ottawa and Canada’s capital region. Its vision is to build recognition of Ottawa as an outstanding four-season tourism destination.