Nova Scotia tourism revenue climbs to $3.7 billion in strong 2025
Nova Scotia’s tourism industry continued to grow in 2025, posting higher revenues and more visitors despite economic uncertainty, U.S. tensions and ongoing debate around provincial tourism cuts.
New provincial figures show tourism spending reached $3.7 billion last year, up eight percent from 2024 and ahead of the national average for growth.
Visitor numbers also increased, with 2.1 million people travelling to Nova Scotia in 2025 — about 79,000 more than the year before.
Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia President Darlene Grant Fiander says the results are encouraging.
“It’s incredibly encouraging in spite of everything that’s going on,” she said.
Flights, ferry and access helping growth
While overall visitation from the United States was lower, the province says more American travellers arrived by air.
Grant Fiander says improved flight access through Halifax Stanfield International Airport has helped make Nova Scotia easier to reach.
“The airport has done a tremendous job getting a number of direct flights into Stanfield, and that’s key,” she said. “People are going to go where it’s convenient to get to.”
She also pointed to more consistency with ferry service through Yarmouth as another positive sign, saying dependable transportation links help travellers feel confident when planning trips.
The province also reported growth from Quebec, Western Canada and overseas markets.
Grant Fiander says more Canadians choosing to travel within the country likely helped Nova Scotia capture a larger share of domestic tourism.
Concerns remain over tourism budget cuts
The strong tourism numbers come as the industry continues to push back on recent provincial cuts affecting visitor services, museums and other tourism-related infrastructure.
Grant Fiander says the concern was not simply about spending reductions, but about missed opportunities to work with the sector on alternatives.
“We believe the industry should have been part of those conversations,” she said.
She said visitor centres and museums continue to play an important role in helping travellers move around the province, discover local businesses and better understand Nova Scotia communities.
Grant Fiander says the sector would have welcomed a discussion on how to modernize services rather than remove them.
Industry remains resilient despite U.S. tensions
The province says fewer American visitors came overall, but Grant Fiander says the decline was smaller than some may have expected considering political tensions and economic uncertainty.
“We weathered the storm quite well,” she said.
She noted the United States remains one of Nova Scotia’s most important tourism markets because of close geographic and cultural ties.
Grant Fiander says tourism often rises above politics, with travellers focused more on welcoming destinations and meaningful experiences.
Tourism reaches beyond Halifax
Grant Fiander says tourism’s impact stretches well beyond Halifax, supporting communities across the province through hotels, restaurants, attractions, events and transportation.
She says the industry supports more than 55,000 jobs and is one of the few sectors with a presence in virtually every Nova Scotia community.
“There’s not a community we’re not in,” she said.
The province says accommodation operators reported three million room nights sold in 2025, another slight increase over the previous year.
Grant Fiander says with continued focus on access, marketing and collaboration, the industry believes there is still significant room for growth in the years ahead.
