Travel Manitoba is Ready to Welcome the World in 2025
As we reflect on 2024, tourism industry members can be proud of the year’s achievements. For the second year in a row, Manitoba saw record visitor spending to the tune of $1.82 billion from nearly 10.4 million visitors. For the first time since 2019, visitation exceeded 10 million. These are positive signs the industry is moving beyond recovery to growth.
Tourism is an economic multiplier
Tourism brings more than just visitors into our communities. Tourism spending generates tax revenue, which can fund everything from education programs to road repairs and infrastructure investments to strengthening our healthcare system. In 2023 alone, tourism visitation spending delivered $373 million in provincial tax revenue, enough to resurface the highway from Emerson to Riding Mountain or from Winnipeg to Dauphin. Alternatively, $373 million could fund the province’s school nutrition program at its current level for more than 10 years. Tourism is an economic multiplier that brings benefits to Manitobans in all four corners of the province.
International visitation grows in 2024
We are also encouraged by the rise in international visitors coming to Manitoba, up 49 per cent in 2023. While this lift is impressive, we are still 9 per cent below our record 2019 levels. We have work to do to reach our goal of 12.8 million visitors annually by 2030.We are confident that 2024’s numbers will show domestic visitation returned fully and we expect that international visitation will recover in 2026. A key part of this recovery is improved direct air access.
The Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport now has more non-stop direct U.S. destination flights than ever before. This is critical to drive international visitation and spending related to wildlife and northern lights viewing in Churchill and the North, as well further encouraging U.S. anglers back to Manitoba to fish our amazing waters.
Another major component to growing visitation is to keep bringing major events and visitation to the province.
In 2025, Manitoba will proudly play host to several major events, including:
- U Sports National Men’s Volleyball Championships in Brandon this March,
- Rendez-vous Canada in May, which attracts 1,500 travel and trade specialists from around the world,
- the Canadian Elite Basketball Championship Weekend this summer, and
- the 112th Grey Cup in November.
These events will bring in over 30,000 hotel room nights to the province and considerable visitor spending, a great opportunity for Manitoba’s tourism industry in 2025.
Welcoming our new Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism
As 2024 came to a close, we welcomed the Honourable Nellie Kennedy, our new Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism who was sworn in as Minister on November 13. Chief Operating Officer Angela Cassie, Board member Sara Stasiuk and I had the chance to meet with Minister Kennedy last month and we look forward to working with the Minister and department staff to advance the tourism industry in Manitoba this year.
I would also like to wish the Honourable Glen Simard all the best in his new role as Minister for Municipal and Northern Relations and thank him for his strong support of Travel Manitoba during his previous tenure.
Travel Manitoba will continue to create the conditions that enable businesses and communities to succeed. Our industry is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses operating in every corner of our province. By enhancing tourism marketing and our destination development efforts, we attract diverse visitors that contribute to sustainable growth and shared prosperity now and into the future.
Cheers to the incredible possibilities of 2025,
Colin Ferguson
President and CEO
Travel Manitoba