2023 was record year for visitor spending in Manitoba

Posted December 5, 2024 1:00 pm.
It was a massive moment for tourism in Manitoba, as officials promoting the province around the globe say 2023 was a record breaker on the tourism front.
Earlier this week, Travel Manitoba announced that for the first time since 2019, more than 10 million people visited the province in 2023. And they spent a record $1.82 billion.
The Crown corporation says the numbers are a sign the tourism industry is moving beyond recovery and onto growth.
“Manitoba has eclipsed 2019 visitor spending levels and we are making headway on recovering visitation,” Colin Ferguson, president and CEO of Travel Manitoba, said in a news release.
“However, we must remain aggressive in our efforts. Critical and targeted investments will enable the industry to continue to grow. We will need to focus our efforts on international markets to attract more long-haul visitors who are seeking exceptional tourism experiences like ones that Manitoba has to offer.”
The sector is on track to reach target growth levels for 2030, which would see 12.8 million visitors coming to Manitoba, spending roughly $2.5 billion.
The Indigenous tourism sector played a critical role in the growth, according Travel Manitoba. It says the number of Indigenous-tourism businesses increased from 81 in 2019 to 170.
The figures were unveiled at Travel Manitoba’s annual general meeting, where leaders from travel site Expedia claimed Manitoba “knocked it out of the park.”
The provincial government lauded the efforts to grow Manitoba’s tourism industry.
“Whether you’re visiting for the first time or coming back to get one more look at a polar bear, Manitoba is making itself known as an incredible place to come visit,” said Manitoba Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Nellie Kennedy in the news release.
“With our hundreds of lakes, stunning skies and our amazing mosaic of peoples and cultures, I’m excited to work with Travel Manitoba to welcome new and returning folks and highlight the benefits of tourism to all Manitobans.”