Ottawa

Ottawa, Canada, scores 75 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #17 of 309 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 81% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 75
• OECD: 73
• UN Tourism: 74
• UNDRR: 68

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 0 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.5 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA / Statistics Canada (2021 Census), 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Resident support for tourism: 87 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (Ottawa Tourism, 'Media release: Ottawa Tourism and Outaouais Tourism Highlight End-of-Summer Results', Jun–Aug 2026). At or above 70: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Largest foreign market: 48.6 % of international arrivals or nights (metro figure) (City of Ottawa, Tourism Edition: Visitor Profile, 2012). Above 40: grade 0/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 68.3 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (United Nations Statistics Division / WHO & UN-Habitat, SDG Indicators Database (Indicator 6.3.1), 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4.
• Nights in the three busiest months: 40.4 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4.

Canada in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Canada is #14 of 110 countries (4.85 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 66 on the CIRA Index; Ottawa is 9 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 55

• Nights in the three busiest months: 40.4 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 86.2 % of nights by residents of the same country (metro figure) (City of Ottawa, Tourism Edition: Visitor Profile (based on Statistics Canada & Research Resolutions data for Ottawa Tourism), 2012). At or above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 48.6 % of international arrivals or nights (metro figure) (City of Ottawa, Tourism Edition: Visitor Profile, 2012). Above 40: grade 0/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: not measured yet
• Average length of stay: 2.8 nights per visitor (City of Ottawa / Ottawa Tourism (reported in tourism industry analyses), 2024). Between 2.8 and 3.5: grade 3/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 70.6 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Avison Young / Ottawa Business Journal, 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 92

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.2 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4. Source
• Unemployment rate: 7.4 % of the labour force (metro figure) (Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey via Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) / Table 14-10-0354-01, August 2026). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4. Source
• Income per head: 66,746 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 70

• Extreme heat days: 0 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 11 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4. Source
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4. Source
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 2.6 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 2 and 3.5: grade 3/4. Source

Water and environment: 69

• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 68.3 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (United Nations Statistics Division / WHO & UN-Habitat, SDG Indicators Database (Indicator 6.3.1), 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 249 kg per resident per year (region figure) (Statistics Canada, Waste Management Survey, 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4. Source
• Green space: 28 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Ottawa, 2022 Tree Canopy Cover Assessment, 2022). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source

Community and housing: 92

• Tourism intensity: not measured yet
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 3.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Fall 2025 Rental Market Report, 2024 to 2025). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4. Source
• Short-let density: 0.5 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA / Statistics Canada (2021 Census), 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: 87 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (Ottawa Tourism, 'Media release: Ottawa Tourism and Outaouais Tourism Highlight End-of-Summer Results', Jun–Aug 2026). At or above 70: grade 4/4. Source

Access and continuity: 79

• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Ottawa Tourism, VIA Rail, and City of Ottawa, 2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4. Source
• Air traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Rail share of intercity access: not measured yet
• Rail traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Largest airline group share: not measured yet
• Air route concentration: not measured yet
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (City of Ottawa, Emergency Preparedness, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Ottawa Tourism, Destination Stewardship Plan, 2025–2026). Grade 2/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 95.8 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4. Source
• Travel advisory: 1 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). At or below 1: grade 4/4. Source
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (City of Ottawa, Municipal Accommodation Tax (By-law No. 2022-56), 2026). Grade 3/4. Source

Compare Ottawa

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