Canada’s Tourism Boost: London, Ontario Now Emerges As Top Domestic Destination

Published on November 3, 2025

Tourism successful London, Ontario, has received a boost this twelvemonth done some nan “Elbows Up” activity and caller section attractions, making 2025 an exemplary twelvemonth for nan tourism assemblage of nan city. The activity was triggered by nan ongoing waste and acquisition conflict betwixt Canada and nan United States, which has resulted successful a marked displacement successful recreation patterns, pinch Canadians opting for staycations alternatively than heading crossed nan border. This was added to a caller group of attractions to springiness nan tourism assemblage a batch of momentum successful London.

Statistics from Statistics Canada and section tourism bodies bespeak a increasing reluctance for Canadian visitors to recreation southbound of nan border, alternatively opting for home destinations. For nan first clip successful respective years, U.S. visitors outnumbered Canadian visitors successful August 2025. This integrated boycott of recreation to nan U.S., owed to ongoing waste and acquisition disputes, has created a caller group of opportunities for Canadian destinations for illustration London to shine.

London Benefits from nan “Elbows Up” Movement

The “Elbows Up” activity is simply a grassroots consequence from Canadian travelers who are choosing to support their ain state by walking wrong it. The movement, which has gained momentum amidst waste and acquisition disputes, has translated into a increasing request for home tourism experiences, pinch London astatine nan forefront of this trend.

According to Tourism London’s Director of Culture and Entertainment, nan metropolis has knowledgeable a beardown tourism season, echoing nan occurrence of nan erstwhile year. “We’ve seen a akin occurrence to past summer, which was besides a record-breaking twelvemonth for us,” said Sean Murray. He emphasized that London’s tourism assemblage is thriving, not only owed to nan expanding liking from Canadians but besides because of nan city’s efforts to grow its tourism offerings.

New Attractions Driving Tourism Growth successful London

London has worked difficult to diversify its offerings, introducing caller attractions that are helping nan metropolis go a cardinal destination for some home and world tourists. One of nan standout events this twelvemonth was nan Rock nan Runway Festival, which brought an estimated 35,000 visitors to London. This festival, held astatine London International Airport, provided a unsocial operation of unrecorded euphony and aviation, offering an breathtaking caller arena that appeals to euphony fans and visitors alike.

Another notable summation to nan city’s tourism offerings is nan London Children’s Museum, which reopened astatine its caller location astatine nan erstwhile Kellogg factory. The depository has seen an awesome surge successful visitors, welcoming complete 233,000 guests from January to August 2025. Approximately 30% of these visitors came from extracurricular nan city, highlighting nan museum’s increasing entreaty to visitors from different regions of Canada and beyond.

The Impact of Canadian Travel Preferences

The expanding desire among Canadians to research their ain state has been a cardinal facet successful London’s tourism success. With U.S. recreation little appealing owed to waste and acquisition tensions, galore Canadians person opted to recreation wrong nan country, peculiarly to destinations for illustration London, wherever location are abundant taste attractions, family-friendly activities, and caller events. This displacement has compensated for nan diminution successful firm travel, which has yet to afloat retrieve from nan pandemic and has been further impacted by nan waste and acquisition dispute.

Local hotels and attractions person responded by tailoring their offerings to meet nan request for home tourists. For example, nan Residence Inn by Marriott downtown London has capitalized connected this section recreation inclination by offering typical depository packages that entreaty to families visiting nan recently relocated children’s museum.

Hard Rock Hotel’s Success and International Appeal

The Hard Rock Hotel London, located astatine 100 Kellogg Lane, has besides benefited from nan influx of Canadian travelers looking to picnic person to home. The hotel, which has quickly go a landmark successful nan city, was recognized by Forbes Travel Guide arsenic 1 of nan Top 11 New Hotels to sojourn worldwide. Its occurrence has been fueled by nan world nickname of nan Hard Rock brand, drafting guests from some wrong Ontario and beyond.

The hotel’s wide manager, Brendon Ainscow, noted nan astonishing number of world guests visiting London. “We’ve seen a awesome summer, pinch guests coming not conscionable from Ontario but from different parts of Canada and moreover nan U.S.,” he explained. The hotel’s world reputation, mixed pinch its premier location successful nan city, has made it a awesome tourer attraction successful nan region. For galore Canadian visitors, Hard Rock Hotel London represents an breathtaking destination to acquisition a high-end picnic without walking abroad.

London’s Growing International Appeal

While Canadian travelers person surely contributed to nan emergence successful tourism, world visitors are besides discovering nan charms of London. The city’s beardown tourism infrastructure, including nan recently renovated Children’s Museum and events for illustration Rock nan Runway, is attracting visitors from crossed nan world. The world entreaty of Hard Rock Hotel London has further enhanced nan city’s profile, making it a destination for some leisure and business travel.

London’s strategical efforts to diversify its tourism offerings — from euphony festivals to family attractions and luxury hotels — person positioned it arsenic a rising prima successful nan Canadian tourism market. This displacement is helping nan metropolis compete pinch different established destinations successful Ontario, drafting visitors who are progressively looking for authentic experiences and opportunities to support section businesses.

Economic Impact of Tourism connected London’s Economy

The city’s tourism occurrence is besides having a affirmative economical effect connected section businesses. As tourer numbers grow, truthful excessively does nan request for hospitality, retail, and services. Local restaurants, hotels, and shops are benefiting from nan accrued ft traffic, arsenic are proscription providers who service some home and world tourists. With tourism playing a captious domiciled successful London’s economical betterment post-pandemic, these developments lend to nan wide maturation of nan section economy.

Moreover, events for illustration Rock nan Runway and attractions specified arsenic nan London Children’s Museum not only pull visitors but besides create opportunities for occupation creation, pinch positions successful hospitality, arena management, and unit expanding to meet nan increasing demand.

The Future of London’s Tourism Industry

With nan momentum of nan “Elbows Up” movement, on pinch an ever-growing portfolio of attractions and events for London, its tourism assemblage is positioned for continued success. As much Canadians opt for home travel, experiencing what their state has to offer, London is prepared to connection a scope of divers family experiences, taste events, and luxury stays that entreaty to each types of travelers.

From world entreaty to section engagement and innovative tourism initiatives, London, Ontario is positioning itself arsenic a must-visit destination for those seeking a memorable wintertime vacation, family fun, and an opportunity to research Canada’s vibrant taste scene.