Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority

What Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority does

Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority, Inc. is a not-for-profit, membership-based destination marketing organization (DMO) incorporated under Ontario law and founded in 1970 to promote Ottawa and Canada's Capital Region as a tourism destination. It operates as the official destination marketing body for Ottawa, serving three primary stakeholder groups: leisure visitors planning trips, business event planners organizing conferences and conventions, and tourism industry members — including hotels, attractions, restaurants, festivals, and entertainment venues — seeking promotional representation, industry leadership, and convention sales support. The organization has 11-50 employees per company disclosure, is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, and operates with no external owner or parent entity.

The organization's portfolio consists of marketing and informational services rather than unified software products. Core offerings include the Visit Ottawa Pass (bundled attraction tickets with seasonal promotional pricing), the Event Calendar (online searchable listings up to a year in advance), the Ottawa Insider Blog (content platform), Business Events Services including the Pensez Ottawa / Think Ottawa joint program with Invest Ottawa and Rogers Centre Ottawa for attracting major conferences, the À la Carte Food Recovery Program launched in 2024 with La Tablée des Chefs, travel trade services, the Ottawa Visitor Centre at 54 Elgin Street, and bilingual/multilingual electronic newsletters. The digital presence is built on a Drupal-based website supporting nine languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese), integrated with third-party platforms for social media, email marketing, and event management.

The business model combines recurring membership fees paid by hundreds of tourism industry members across accommodations, attractions, restaurants, outdoor experiences, festivals, and entertainment, with funding from the municipal accommodation tax (hotel levy) collected under City of Ottawa oversight. Distribution combines an event-driven destination marketing approach — multilingual content, social media, the physical Visitor Centre, and the Visit Ottawa Pass — with a sales-led motion for business events covering direct RFP handling, site selection, and financial incentives to attract major conferences and conventions.

Name

Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority

Legal name

Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority, Inc.

Website

https://ottawatourism.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority is a not-for-profit, membership-based destination marketing organization founded in 1970 that promotes Ottawa and Canada's Capital Region to leisure visitors, business event planners, and tourism industry members through destination marketing, convention sales, and visitor services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Convention sales services
• Visitor information services
• Tourism membership program
• Business events support

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Ottawa Tourism is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization with hundreds of members representing accommodations, attractions, restaurants, outdoor experiences, festivals and entertainment. Members pay fees for access to promotional services, event listings, and industry support.
2. Municipal Hotel Levy: The organization operates with oversight from the City of Ottawa and collects municipal accommodation taxes (hotel levy) through the Accommodation Tax program, which funds destination marketing activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority is a not-for-profit, membership-based destination marketing organization that promotes Ottawa and Canada's Capital Region as a tourism destination. It provides destination marketing and industry leadership to its members (hotels, attractions, restaurants, festivals), operates the Visit Ottawa Pass for leisure visitors, delivers convention and meeting sales services through the Pensez Ottawa / Think Ottawa program, runs the Ottawa Visitor Centre and Event Calendar, and produces content such as the Ottawa Insider Blog and electronic newsletters.

Product overview

Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority operates as a not-for-profit, membership-based destination marketing organization founded in 1970. Its core offerings include the Visit Ottawa Pass for bundled tourism savings, an Event Calendar for event discovery, the Ottawa Insider Blog for content, and Business Events Services (including the Pensez Ottawa program) for convention and meeting planning. The organization also operates the À la Carte Food Recovery Program for sustainability, provides Travel Trade Services for tour operators, maintains a physical Ottawa Visitor Centre, and distributes electronic newsletters. The portfolio represents a suite of promotional, informational, and professional services rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visit Ottawa Pass
• Business Events Services (Convention and Meeting Sales)
• Pensez Ottawa / Think Ottawa
• Travel Trade Services

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• La Tablée des ChefscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOttawa Tourism partnered with La Tablée des Chefs to launch 'À la Carte', Canada's first destination-led coordinated food recovery program. The program recovers surplus food from the hospitality industry to support community members facing food insecurity. La Tablée des Chefs works with participating venues to ensure sustainable, safe, and organized food recovery processes.
• Fairmont Château LauriercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Historic hotel overlooking Parliament Hill and Rideau Canal, one of Ottawa's most recognizable landmarks.
• Casino du Lac-LeamycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Loto-Québec entertainment resort located minutes from downtown Ottawa in Gatineau, Québec.
• Lord Elgin HotelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Historic hotel on Elgin Street steps from National Arts Centre, Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill.
• Ottawa Marriott HotelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. 486-room hotel near Parliament Hill with health centre, family amenities, smart TVs and free Wi-Fi.
• Rogers Centre OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Convention centre with 192,000 sq ft of meeting space, LEED Gold certified, among the most environmentally sustainable centres in North America.
• The Westin OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Upscale hotel with direct access to Rogers Centre Ottawa and CF Rideau Centre retail complex.
• TD PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Urban entertainment destination in Ottawa's vibrant Glebe neighbourhood for sports and special events.
• Hyatt Place Ottawa - WestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Modern, earth-friendly hotel in Nepean area west of city centre.
• My Catering GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatering partner for the À la Carte food recovery program. Full-service catering for weddings to corporate events in the Gatineau-Ottawa region.
• Alt Hotel OttawaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Modern minimalist hotel in Ottawa's downtown business district.
• Brookstreet HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Four-diamond hotel in Kanata suburb with golf, spa, and fine dining in eco-conscious surroundings.
• Canadian Tire CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Professional sports and entertainment facility hosting concerts and prestigious events.
• Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa DowntownminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Hotel in ByWard Market area near Parliament Hill.
• Delta Hotels by Marriott Ottawa City CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Downtown Ottawa hotel with spacious rooms, city views, and modern amenities.
• National Arts CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Canada's only bilingual, multidisciplinary performing arts centre.
• Infinity Convention CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Modern special event venue with 15,000 sq ft of elegant space near Ottawa airport.
• Cohere CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Eastern Ontario's largest exhibition centre with 220,000 sq ft of space near Ottawa International Airport.
• The Metcalfe HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Boutique hotel showcasing building history and connecting to Ottawa culture.
• Ottawa Conference and Event CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. Conference complex with versatile meeting spaces connecting to over 500 hotel rooms.
• Les Suites Hotel OttawaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue in the À la Carte food recovery program. All-suite downtown hotel with full kitchens near CF Rideau Centre and ByWard Market.
• Les FlavoureuxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatering partner for the À la Carte food recovery program. French-inspired catering with bold flavors for weddings, events, and corporate gatherings.
• Air CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial airline partner for Ottawa Tourism. Provides destination marketing and promotional support through Air Canada channels.
• Casino du Lac-LeamyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed partner in Ottawa Tourism's partner program. Loto-Québec entertainment resort near Ottawa.
• Destination OntariocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial provincial tourism partner. Collaborates on Ontario tourism marketing initiatives.
• Canadian HeritagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal government partner that promotes dynamic cultural experiences and celebrates Canadian history and heritage.
• City of OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner and host municipality. Ottawa has population of 812,000+ and area of 2,796 sq km.
• Invest OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partner in the Think Ottawa program for attracting conferences and conventions. Advances Ottawa's knowledge-based economy.
• National Capital CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner managing the Greenbelt and national capital assets, including wildlife areas, wetlands, and recreational facilities.
• Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial government partner that stimulates economic growth in tourism and creates competitive travel and leisure environment.
• Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest provincial hospitality association in Canada, representing restaurants, hotels, and motels.
• Ottawa Board of TradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest independent Voice of Business in Ottawa, representing over 1,200 members and 30,000 employees for 161 years.
• Ottawa FestivalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit member-based organization established in 1996, leading Ottawa's multi-million dollar event industry.
• Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association (OGHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoice of the hotel industry in Canada's Capital Region. 52 member hotels representing 9,709+ rooms and 5,500+ employees.
• Ottawa Museum NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of Ottawa's community museums: 'your stories, your museums!' Promotes local heritage and cultural experiences.
• Outaouais TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional tourism representative for the Outaouais/Gatineau area. 35-year partnership supporting regional tourism development.
• Rogers Centre OttawacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partner in Think Ottawa program for attracting conventions. LEED Gold certified convention centre, recognized as one of world's top three convention centres.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Choose Chicago: Official DMO for Chicago, providing comparable visitor information, convention sales (McCormick Place) and citywide destination marketing. Relevant peer for benchmarking mid-sized North American city CVB operations.
• Destination Canada: Canada's national DMO, federally funded to market the country internationally. Overlaps with Ottawa Tourism's mandate but at the country level; an upstream partner for inbound campaigns that ultimately drive visitors to Ottawa.
• Brand USA: National destination marketing organization for the United States, tasked with international inbound marketing. Operates one tier above city DMOs and is a useful comp for the multi-language, multi-market digital infrastructure that Ottawa Tourism has built.
• Destination Ontario: Provincial DMO for Ontario marketing the province domestically and to key inbound markets. Currently a partner of Ottawa Tourism; functions at a wider geographic tier but operates the same destination-marketing mandate.
• NYC & Company: Official DMO for the five boroughs of New York City, operating the largest CVB in North America. Useful reference point for scale of operations, global marketing footprint and convention sales infrastructure that Ottawa aspires to relative scale.

Direct peers

• Destination Toronto: Statutorily designated destination marketing organization for the City of Toronto, performing the same CVB function (consumer marketing, convention sales, membership services, visitor information) for Canada's largest city. Most directly comparable Canadian city DMO.
• Destination Vancouver: Non-profit DMO for Metro Vancouver operating consumer marketing, convention sales (Vancouver Convention Centre), and membership programs. Direct peer for a Canadian gateway-city tourism authority of comparable scale and governance model.
• Tourisme Montréal: Private non-profit DMO responsible for promoting Greater Montréal as a leisure and business-events destination, with comparable bilingual operations, convention bureau function, and visitor-information mandate. Closest functional peer in the Quebec market.
• Visit Calgary: Tourism Calgary, the DMO for Calgary, performing comparable consumer and convention marketing functions for another major Canadian city. Useful comp for benchmarking convention sales performance and member-based governance.
• Explore Edmonton: Edmonton's destination marketing and management organization, with similar scope covering consumer marketing, convention bureau services (Edmonton Convention Centre) and visitor information. Comparable Canadian mid-tier city DMO.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/MyOttawaCanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/visitottawa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ottawa-tourism
• Instagraminstagram.com/ottawatourism
• Pinterestca.pinterest.com/ottawatourism
• TikToktiktok.com/@ottawatourism
• Xx.com/ottawa_tourism

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Tourism & Convention Authority