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Spending on tourism in London shot up last year, surpassing a billion dollars, a new report says.
Tourists spent nearly $1.1 billion in the city in 2023, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year, said the report prepared by the Conference Board of Canada’s Economic Research Division for Tourism London.
London hosted 2.1 million overnight visitors last year, a five per cent increase over 2022. More than 150,000 tourists came from abroad.
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Tourists spent $417 million on food and beverages, three quarters of which was spent in restaurants, and tourism activity as a whole generated $616 million for the London economy, the report says. The city’s industry also supported 7,864 full-year jobs.
“I’m thrilled by the remarkable growth in tourism spending in our city this past year,” Mayor Josh Morgan said. “This increase highlights the essential role tourism plays in enriching our community’s industries, supporting numerous full-time jobs and contributing to the well-being and success of London.”
Cheryl Finn, Tourism London’s general manager, said she is pleased to see the organization’s work reflected in the new data. She attributes improving spending out of the pandemic to the city punching above its weight with its amenities.
“We knew we were on trend to recover strong … just being a mid sized city, having large centre offerings through culinary and entertainment and (events),” she said.
Finn singled out 100 Kellogg Lane as being a new major entertainment and culinary destination for all ages in the region, and one of the pinnacles of private sector investment in the city. She also referenced the recent 60-year anniversary of East Park London and its $5 million revamp announced in March.
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On the events side, she points to the success of Rock the Park and Sunfest, calling them incredible. Londonlicious also is “doing a great job” promoting food within the city, she said.
“There are some really great offerings that we’re able to package and market here in the city,” Finn said.
She said tourism spending this year in London is going very well and will get a boost when the the Ontario Summer Games begin Aug. 1. More than 3,000 athletes and their families will visit the city for the four-day event.
Another factor in London’s success is what the agency refers to as the region’s “low seasonality,” meaning that Southwestern Ontario is less prone to fluctuations in visitors through the year, and sudden economic downturns or changes in demand.
Finn said that though summers are typically very popular, and that teams like the London Knights and London Lightning help keep nightlife alive through the rest of the year, Tourism London also gears events and programs to appeal to Western and Fanshawe students.
“We know that we have a huge influx of students coming back in the early fall, so looking at events that appeal and programs that appeal to students that’s more than Richmond Row, getting them out into the city is incredibly important,” she said.
Overall, Finn credits the organization’s success to the support of the city that she said allows Tourism London “to do the amazing things that we’re doing to drive the economic impact into our city.”
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