An empty double-decker bus waits at Sparks Street and Elgin Street on Sept. 16. Tourism has been slow this summer in Ottawa.
As the colder weather sets in and summer comes to an end, Ottawa’s tourism businesses are hoping for a rebound in business this fall, following a lukewarm summer.
This summer, many of the area’s tourism related businesses had lower than average sales.
“Business was okay,” said Reza Ghaffar, manager of Canada’s Four Corners, a craft and souvenir shop on Sparks Street. “It was definitely not breaking any records.”
Business owners cite a combination of factors for the slower business, including the high Canadian dollar, high gas prices and rainy weather.
Ottawa saw 39 days of rain in June and July, compared to the 27 day average, according to Environment Canada.
“Definitely the weather did have an effect,” said Ghaffar. “But the effect was marginal.” He says he primarily blames slower tourism on the price of gas and “a general feeling of economic malaise.”
But local businesses insist the fall weather means a new crowd of tourists and new possibilities for sales. Ghaffar says the majority of fall tourist sales come from older people and overseas tourists who come to enjoy Ottawa’s fall weather.
“The big attraction is the fall leaves because this is very particular to this region,” he said. “Other areas in the world do not experience this.”
Many businesses also benefit from people who come to the capital on work related trips. The fall means a return to conferences and business functions.
Shrirad Yehia, manager of North Star, a souvenir shop on Sparks Street, says that he expects an improvement in sales this fall.
“Business this summer was not that good because of the rain and the dollar,” he said. “If there are conferences in town soon, it will be good.”
Tourism is Ottawa’s third largest industry, after government and high technology. However, in recent years factors such as gas prices and the high dollar have meant a sharp decrease in American tourists, who previously made up a large portion of visitors to the capital.
Statistics Canada has revealed that this year saw the lowest level of American tourists since 1972.
Greg Best, chair of the Glebe BIA, says that the decrease in tourists has affected business in the Glebe and that he expects the trend to continue.
“Business was definitely down this summer,” he said. “I don’t expect it to get much better in the short term. I don’t think Americans are really going to leave home.”
Still, he says the strength of the Euro has meant an increase in overseas tourists.
Jantine Van Kregten, a spokesperson for Ottawa Tourism, says the outlook for tourism in Ottawa is positive. She says while high gas prices mean less American tourists, they also mean more local tourists.
“People from Ontario are coming to Ottawa instead of going further,” she said.
The increase in local tourists has been profitable for some local businesses.
“Summer was good. Twelve per cent more [sales] than last year,” said Diane Beauchesne, owner of Lady Dive Tours, a local sightseeing company. “This year it’s more local people. Mostly Ottawa and eastern Ontario.”