on November 3, 2025
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Tourism in London, Ontario, has seen a boost this year thanks to the “Elbows Up” movement and some exciting new local attractions, making 2025 a standout year for the city’s tourism scene. This movement started because of the ongoing trade tensions between Canada and the United States, leading many Canadians to choose staycations instead of crossing the border. Coupled with fresh attractions, this has given London’s tourism sector significant momentum.
Data from Statistics Canada and local tourism agencies show that Canadian travelers are becoming less inclined to head south, opting instead for domestic destinations. For the first time in years, U. S. visitors outnumbered Canadian tourists in August 2025. This natural shift away from traveling to the U. S., due to trade disputes, is opening up new opportunities for Canadian locations like London.
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London Thrives Thanks to the “Elbows Up” Movement
The “Elbows Up” movement is a grassroots initiative by Canadian travelers who want to support their own country by vacationing within it. As trade disputes have gained traction, this movement has led to an increasing demand for domestic travel experiences-with London leading the way. According to Tourism London’s Director of Culture and Entertainment, the city is enjoying a robust tourism season similar to last year’s success. “We’ve seen a similar success to last summer, which was also a record-breaking year for us,” said Sean Murray. He highlighted that London’s tourism sector is flourishing not only because more Canadians are interested but also due to the city’s efforts in expanding its tourism offerings.New Attractions Fueling Tourism Growth in London
London has put in considerable effort to broaden its offerings by introducing new attractions that make it a prime spot for both domestic and international visitors. One highlight this year was the Rock the Runway Festival, which attracted about 35,000 attendees. This festival took place at London International Airport and provided an exciting mix of live music and aviation-a unique event appealing to both music lovers and tourists. An additional notable feature is the London Children’s Museum, which reopened at its new site in the former Kellogg factory. The museum has enjoyed an impressive increase in attendance with over 233,000 visitors from January through August 2025. Around 30% of these guests traveled from outside London-showing how much appeal it holds for tourists coming from other areas of Canada and beyond.The Effect of Canadian Travel Trends
The rising interest among Canadians wanting to explore their own country has been essential for London’s tourism growth. With U. S. trips losing their allure due to trade issues, many Canadians have chosen domestic travel-especially places like London where there are plenty of cultural sites and family-friendly activities available alongside new events. This change has helped offset declines in corporate travel that still haven’t fully bounced back after COVID-19 while also being affected by trade conflicts. Local hotels and attractions have adapted their services based on what domestic travelers are looking for. For instance, Residence Inn by Marriott downtown London is taking advantage of this trend by offering special museum packages aimed at families visiting the newly relocated children’s museum.Hard Rock Hotel’s Success Reflects Its International Appeal
The Hard Rock Hotel London at 100 Kellogg Lane has benefited greatly from an increase in Canadian travelers seeking closer vacations. Quickly becoming iconic within the city limits, it received recognition as one of Forbes Travel Guide’s Top 11 New Hotels worldwide. Its success stems from Hard Rock’s global reputation-which attracts guests not just from Ontario but further afield as well. The hotel manager Brendon Ainscow remarked on how many international guests have been coming through lately: “We’ve seen a great summer with guests coming not just from Ontario but from other parts of Canada and even the U. S.” The hotel’s esteemed standing combined with its excellent location makes it an important draw for tourists around here-and many Canadian visitors see Hard Rock Hotel London as an exciting choice when seeking high-end vacations without going overseas.Increasing International Interest in London
While it’s clear that Canadians have played a big role in boosting tourism numbers here-international visitors are also starting to discover what makes London appealing too! The city’s solid tourist infrastructure-including renovations like those made at Children’s Museum along with events such as Rock The Runway-is bringing people across borders into town more frequently than before! Additionally; Hard Rock Hotel London’s fame enhances how visible our city becomes globally-making it suitable not only for leisure trips but business visits too! By diversifying its range-from lively music festivals down through family-friendly options all while including luxurious accommodations-London sets itself up nicely against other established destinations found throughout Ontario! Tourists today increasingly search genuine experiences they can enjoy while supporting local businesses-they find exactly these qualities right here!Tourism’s Economic Benefits on London’s Local Economy
This rise within tourist activity clearly positively impacts nearby businesses across various sectors such as hospitality retail services alike! As visitor counts climb higher so does demand grow correspondingly within restaurants shops & hotels plus transportation providers serving both locals & far-off adventurers alike; playing pivotal roles together during recovery phases following pandemic challenges laid upon economies everywhere! Events like “Rock The Runway” or spots like Children’s Museum create not only traffic increases yet job openings too ranging widely throughout hospitality management positions retail channels needing expansions further filling gaps created amidst growing demands felt industry-wide !Future Prospects Surrounding Our City’s Tourist Industry
With sustained energy surrounding movements like “Elbow Up”, added onto expanding lists filled full attraction options waiting ahead-that means good things lie ahead likely ensuring ongoing triumphs await our beloved destination here called home-London ! As more fellow citizens opt-in choosing explore landscapes surrounding them ready , we’ll prepare diverse family fun adventures alongside cultural events luxurious stays able accommodate every type traveler visiting us now moving forward. From attracting wanderers globally down engaging locals involving innovative initiatives underway-we’re ensuring lots awaits those craving memorable winter getaways filled laughter warmth excitement chances explore vibrant culture alive flourishing shining bright inside beautiful community altogether right here situated proudly named -Ontario !Source link
