2 million people visited Nova Scotia last year, a small decline from 2023
Posted Apr 4, 2025 01:39:07 PM.
Last Updated Apr 4, 2025 01:39:12 PM.
Billions of dollars in revenue was generated from visitors to Nova Scotia last year.
The province said in a press release that two million people visited in 2024, a decrease of 2 per cent in tourists from the year prior. However, the government says that tourism revenue grew 10 per cent reaching $3.5 last year.
“Nova Scotia is an exciting travel destination, and visitors love our stunning coastlines, rich cultures and world-class golf, seafood and wines,” Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, said in the release.
Some of the growth can be attributed to the new non-stop connections from places around the world. This can be seen in the 6 per cent growth in people coming to the province through the air.
In contrast there was a 7 per cent decrease in the number of people driving to the province.
“We’re working closely with communities and businesses to raise our province’s profile and inspire people to choose Nova Scotia for their next vacation,” Ritcey said.
In 2023 the government launched a new marketing strategy in Ontario, Quebec, Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts with an investment of $8.6 million in advertisement that year.
The fruits of the province’s labour was seen in some areas and not in others data shows. More visitors last year came from out west and the United States, while fewer came from the other Atlantic provinces and Ontario.
Hotel, motel and Airbnb operators said that three million room nights sold in 2024, a small decline of 1 per cent compared to the year prior.
Halifax a top destination in Nova Scotia
Discover Halifax says tourism in Halifax Regional Municipality reached another record year in 2024.
The organization the number of hotel room nights sold reached roughly 1,629,000 in 2024, up 2.6 per cent from the previous high in 2023.
Since 2019, the number of hotel room nights sold in HRM has grown 11.4 per cent, outpacing supply which has only grown eight per cent in the same period.
