Halifax tourism is recovering faster than expected after the COVID-19 pandemic: report

A Destination Canada report predicted that the tourism sector in Halifax would make a full recovery in 2024 following the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the city is one year ahead of schedule.

“Travelers are feeling secure and safe in travelling now and having amassed a discretionary income that they were not able to spend in previous years,” says Lorn Sheeran, professor of strategy and tourism for the faculty of business at Dalhousie University.

However, multiple things affect the tourism sector.

The city welcomed additional cruise ships and hosted some large events, including the World Juniors Hockey Championships, the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), Touchdown Atlantic, and Halifax International Fleet Week.

“A temporary uptick in demand with an event — it’s certainly helpful to direct economic impact that it creates, but also helpful in terms of the image and awareness of the destination,” says Sheeran.

Dennis Campbell is the owner of Ambassatours Gray Line in Nova Scotia. His business provides land and sea tours around the province. He started to notice things turn in the middle of 2023.

“2023 was really our first real recovery year after COVID. 2022 was the start of a comeback,” he says.

Tourists in Halifax are pictured in a file photo.

He says NAIG really boosted his business.

“It was surprising. There was lots of down time where they weren’t in competitions and they were flocking to us. We absolutely sold out.”

However, some business owners experienced a few challenges this year, especially those that rely on the weather.

“So the Beer Garden and Saltyard, we were ramping up for a really big year, but unfortunately weather really hit us pretty hard. We had more closures in June for rain than we’ve ever had any year previously,” says John Whitton, director of operations for Legendary Hospitality.

While the tourism industry’s revenue is increasing, Sheeran attributes it to inflation.

“If you look at the actual tourism numbers, we are still not quite there, but we will be there in 2024,” he says.

BUSINESSES ARE OPTIMISTIC

Whitton says it’s exciting, the amount of cruise ships and upcoming events, especially the Juno’s in March.

“We’re just pumped and excited,” says Whitton.

Campbell also shared his excitement for the new year.

“The region is well poised for the growth, you know. There’s been a lot of extra supply coming to the marketplace.”

Sheeran says, while next year will be very exciting for tourism, shortages in accommodations and staffing will be a big problem.

“This is something the report identifies. We expect a shortfall in accommodation facilities in Canada. About 20,000 hotel beds will be short. We are also expecting to need another 13 per cent of work force to handle the increase demand of tourism.”

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