Ottawa is a vibrant capital city, with a bustling economy and almost one million residents.
As a place with so much to offer, it is hard to believe that travellers who want to visit this great town have a tough time getting here.
And the inaccessibility of our city not only means travel frustrations for tourists, but also a lower profile for Ottawa when it comes to global business.
At first glance, the number of flights coming in and out of Ottawa International Airport seems appropriate – it’s Canada’s sixth-busiest airport and it’s seen more than three million passengers so far this year.
But most of these flights are within North America or to vacation destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. What happens if someone wants to take a direct flight to some of Europe or Asia’s major cities?
It’ll be a long day of airport-hopping and magazine -reading. Sometimes it's faster and cheaper to lug bags to the bus station, wait in line for 30 minutes and take a two-hour trip to Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport
Ottawa offers three direct flights to Europe – London (Heathrow), London (Gatwick) and Frankfurt, Germany. And the flights are few and far between, with a total of 10 departures scheduled each week.
This reality makes us less attractive to foreign investors and companies.
Bob Brocklebank, a member of Ottawa’s business advisory committee, says the flight situation makes investors think twice about dedicating their time and money to the city.
“My impression from dealing with foreign investors is that the more complicated it is for them to travel to the site, the more hesitant they become in thinking about investment,” says Brocklebank. “To the extent that you can make it simple, so much the better.”
The benefits related to international flights are not limited to foreign investment.
Increased accessibility in and out of Ottawa also has the potential to boost local businesses.
More flights would mean more access to the global market and more opportunities to interact with international clients.
And while local businesses, such as restaurants and boutiques, may not necessarily feel the need to expand globally, there is one thing every business loves – a tourist.
Lori Mellor, executive director of the Preston Street BIA, says more flights would allow local businesses to capitalize on emerging tourist markets.
“Ottawa is becoming a favoured tourist destination for countries like China, so the more flights the better,” says Mellor. “And if you are attracting more business, then that is always a good thing.”
In addition to obvious tourism and investment advantages, proof of the economic potential of international flights is in the numbers.
According to a report published by the Ottawa airport in 2008, a flight such as the Ottawa-London leg generates an estimated $2 million in gross domestic product (GDP) each year.
The report also suggests that each international flight accounts for a total of 184 hours of employment – hours that would no doubt be greatly appreciated in these times of economic uncertainty.
As for whether or not a city the size of Ottawa can support this type of air service, given its proximity to major air hubs like Montreal and Toronto, recent passenger trends suggest it can.
Passenger volumes have grown significantly over the years, reaching a record high of 4.1 million in 2007, according to the airport website.
And in 2003, the airport opened a new state-of-the-art passenger terminal building that cost $310 million to construct.
With that kind of price tag, the infrastructure of the airport should be able to handle a few more flights, especially if it means more foreign investment, an influx of tourists and overall economic growth.