How is the Ottawa-Gatineau tourism industry preparing for an unpredictable season?

Customs prices, boycottes, exchange rate … The tourism industry in the Federal Capital Region is swimming in uncertainty about the tourist season that begins. She is therefore preparing for any possibility.

It’s a climate that changes very quicklysaid at the outset Catherine Callary, vice-president of the development of the destination at Tourisme Ottawa.

We continue to accommodate Americans and Canadians with open arms.

And the CEO of Tourism Outaouais, Geneviève Latulippe, to add: We cannot predict the future, but what we can do is try to put as much effort as possible to avoid the worstconvinced that she can get there.

Travelers’ trends

None of them has a crystal ball. But they closely monitor the evolution of trends to prepare to react.

When we look at the research on Google on the part of the Americans who are looking for trips to Ottawaexplains Catherine Callary of Tourist Ottawa, We see that it is really results that are very different, mixed.

If flight research is decreasing, it notes, those of accommodation or activities are increasing. His marketing team remains on the lookout for the slightest change. We are readysupports Ms. Callary.

Direct flights that will link London and Paris to the Canadian capital this summer will also allow Tourisme Ottawa to redirect its marketing to Europe if necessary.

It’s a bit the same bell sound in Outaouais. If we have to change our flutes accordingly, if there is one sector which is very agile, it is in terms of marketingindicates Geneviève Latulippe.

Our machines in terms of marketing are now very focused-and we are ready to put additional efforts-in the American markets to attract this tourism more.

Ms. Latulippe sees the tourist season with optimism. We know that with the weakness of the Canadian dollar, well, it can attract more tourists to us.

And with half of Canadians who would give up a trip to the United States, the two organizations intend to take advantage of the craze for local trips.

With information from Daniel Bouchard