Newfoundland and Labrador recorded 3.8 million visits to its tourism regions in 2024, while Canadian visitors spent $1.3 billion across those regions. Accommodation demand was strongly seasonal: the province sold 1,605,408 room nights, reached 54% occupancy and recorded $269.5 million in room revenue during the year. These figures provide a useful baseline for planning a trip, comparing regions and understanding when visitor demand is highest.
Contents
- Province-wide tourism snapshot
- When accommodation demand is highest
- Regional accommodation performance
- Avalon visitation and visitor concentration
- Air access and recent visitor movement
- Parks, historic sites and cultural attractions
- Tourism policy, investment and historical context
Province-wide tourism snapshot
Statistics Canada reported 3.8 million visits to Newfoundland and Labrador tourism regions in 2024. Provincial residents accounted for more than four in five of those visits, according to Visits down east (2025). The same source reported $1.3 billion in spending by Canadian visitors to tourism regions in the province. Across Atlantic Canada, visitor spending was nearly $7 billion in 2024, with Newfoundland and Labrador contributing the reported $1.3 billion.
The accommodation figures describe a different part of the market: registered properties rather than all visits. The TCAR Monthly Key Tourism Indicators report issued in March 2025 recorded 1,605,408 room nights sold in 2024. Provincial occupancy was 54%, total room revenue was $269.5 million, and the average daily rate (ADR) was $168. ADR is the average amount paid per sold room night in the accommodation reporting system.
The province’s 2024 accommodation results also show a year-over-year distinction. The May 2025 TCAR Monthly Key Tourism Indicators report said occupancy was 4 percentage points below 2023, and room-night sales were 6% lower than 2023. Even with those declines, total room revenue was 1% higher than 2023. Inbound non-stop seat capacity was 20% higher than in 2023 and 6% higher than in 2019.
These measures should not be treated as interchangeable. A visit can occur without a registered overnight stay, and room nights measure sold accommodation inventory rather than unique people. Spending also covers visitor activity more broadly than room revenue.
When accommodation demand is highest
The 2024 monthly accommodation series shows a clear summer peak. Room-night sales climbed from 79,440 in January to 221,748 in August, before falling to 68,302 in December. Occupancy followed the same broad pattern, rising from 35% in January to 74% in August and ending the year at 36% in December.
| Month in 2024 | Room nights sold | Occupancy | ADR |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 79,440 | 35% | $131 |
| February | 84,771 | 40% | $140 |
| March | 105,920 | 45% | $139 |
| April | 111,015 | 48% | $147 |
| May | 139,882 | 50% | $162 |
| June | 193,487 | 67% | $186 |
| July | 217,320 | 72% | $188 |
| August | 221,748 | 74% | $192 |
| September | 157,326 | 59% | $181 |
| October | 123,555 | 51% | $168 |
| November | 102,642 | 49% | $148 |
| December | 68,302 | 36% | $139 |
Source: TCAR Monthly Key Tourism Indicators, March 2025. The source reported the 2024 provincial ADR peak as $192 in August. June, July and August were the only months with occupancy above 60%, at 67%, 72% and 74%, respectively. They were also the three highest ADR months, at $186, $188 and $192.
For travel planning, the monthly pattern points to a trade-off between demand and price. August had the highest occupancy and ADR, while January had the lowest ADR among the first four months and December had the lowest room-night sales. The statistics do not establish availability at any specific property, but they do show when the registered accommodation market was busiest overall.
Regional accommodation performance
The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial-Regional Occupancy Update 2024 reported substantial differences among the province’s accommodation regions. Avalon led the reported regions in room nights sold and room revenue. Labrador recorded the highest occupancy, while Central recorded the highest ADR.
| Region | Room nights sold | Occupancy | Room revenue | ADR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon | 780,114 | 60% | $130.4 million | $167 |
| Eastern | 109,993 | 42% | $17.8 million | $162 |
| Central | 213,870 | 44% | $42.2 million | $197 |
| Western | 309,334 | 48% | $48.3 million | $156 |
| Labrador | 192,097 | 65% | $30.9 million | $161 |
Avalon’s 780,114 room nights were reported with 60% occupancy and $130.4 million in room revenue. Eastern reported 109,993 room nights, 42% occupancy, $17.8 million in revenue and a $162 ADR. Central reported 213,870 room nights, 44% occupancy, $42.2 million in revenue and a $197 ADR.
Western registered accommodations reported 309,334 room nights sold, 48% occupancy, $48.3 million in room revenue and a $156 ADR. Labrador reported 192,097 room nights, 65% occupancy, $30.9 million in revenue and a $161 ADR.
The regional comparison is useful because volume, occupancy and price tell different stories. Avalon had the largest reported room-night volume, but Labrador had the highest occupancy among these regions. Central had the highest ADR at $197, while Western had the lowest at $156. The source presents regional accommodation performance; it does not define these figures as total tourism spending or as a count of unique travelers.
Avalon visitation and visitor concentration
Avalon had 1,429,000 visits in 2024, according to Statistics Canada’s Great big see (2025). The quarterly figures show that visits were concentrated in the warmer part of the year, although every quarter recorded activity.
| Avalon period | Visits |
|---|---|
| Q1 2024 | 154,000 |
| Q2 2024 | 401,000 |
| Q3 2024 | 497,000 |
| Q4 2024 | 376,000 |
Q3 was the strongest quarter with 497,000 visits, followed by Q2 with 401,000 and Q4 with 376,000. Q1 recorded 154,000 visits. The quarterly pattern complements the accommodation series: Avalon’s highest visitation period was Q3, while provincial occupancy and ADR both peaked in August.
The Avalon total and the province-wide 3.8 million visits use different geographic scopes. Avalon is one tourism region, while the larger figure covers Newfoundland and Labrador tourism regions. The 2024 Statistics Canada source also says provincial residents made up more than four in five visits across the province’s tourism regions, so the overall visit count includes a substantial resident component.
Air access and recent visitor movement
Inbound non-stop seat capacity to Newfoundland and Labrador was 20% higher in 2024 than in 2023 and 6% higher than in 2019, according to the May 2025 TCAR Monthly Key Tourism Indicators. Seat capacity is an aviation supply measure; it is not the same as passenger arrivals, filled seats or unique visitors.
The province’s later tourism statement reported that 2025 total revenue generated by tourism was over $1.4 billion. It also reported a 4% increase in total air and auto visitors in 2025 compared with 2024, and nearly 100,000 cruise passengers during the 2025 cruise season. Those are 2025 figures from Ministerial Statement: Minister Barbour Celebrates 2025 Tourism Season (2026), and they should be kept separate from the 2024 accommodation and visitation measures above.
The available figures therefore show movement in several layers: higher inbound non-stop seat capacity in 2024, lower 2024 room-night sales than 2023, and the later reported increase in 2025 air and auto visitors. They do not provide a single, directly comparable series for every type of visitor.
Parks, historic sites and cultural attractions
Outdoor and heritage attractions add context to accommodation statistics. ParksNL reported 233,168 provincial park visits in 2022, about 10,000 more than in 2021 and more than 76,000 above 2019. Provincial parks recorded 66,527 camper nights in 2022. The previous camper-night record was 65,981 in 2013.
The TCAR 2022-23 Annual Report reported more than 117,000 visitors to Provincial Historic Sites during the Come Home 2022 season. That total was 236% above the reported 34,393 visitors in 2021, 653% above the reported 15,596 in 2020 and 13% above the reported 103,882 in 2019. These comparisons are reported historical figures from the annual report; they are not independently rechecked here.
Arts and Culture Centres had approximately 113,000 patrons and hosted 442 events in 2022. The annual report said attendance increased 53% compared with 2021. Because the source uses “approximately” for the patron count, it should be read as an estimate rather than a precise attendance total.
The park, historic-site and arts figures cover 2022, not the 2024 accommodation year. They are useful for understanding the range of tourism experiences in the province, but they should not be combined into the 2024 visit total.
Tourism policy, investment and historical context
Public programs also form part of the tourism operating environment. The TCAR 2022-23 Annual Report said the Tourism Experience Enhancement Fund ultimately invested $4.8 million for tourism and hospitality operators. It provided non-repayable contributions of up to 50% of eligible costs, with a maximum eligible project contribution of $25,000. The fund was initially announced at $3 million.
Budget 2022 allocated $20 million to tourism recovery initiatives tied to Vision 2026. The 2022-23 tourism allocation was $25 million, within a total TCAR budget of $69,246,800. For fiscal 2023-24, the department budget was $71,063,100, and the tourism allocation included $24.5 million for 32 provincial parks and tourism marketing and programs.
The 2023-24 annual report listed 49 tourism branch staff: 19 permanent, 19 temporary, 10 seasonal and 1 contractual. Across all TCAR branches, total staff numbered 525. The Tourist Accommodations Act amendments carried a minimum fine of $250 and a maximum fine of $2,000, according to New Tourist Accommodations Act and Regulations Proclaimed (2023).
Older recovery data shows the scale of the disruption during 2020. The TCAR 2020-21 Annual Report stated that non-resident visitation decreased 78.6%, from 530,500 visitors in 2019 to 113,900 by December 2020. The same report recorded 30 industry e-newsletters, one virtual Open Mic session, 19 marketing presentations, 74 meetings with destination marketing organizations, eight Tourism Board meetings and 84 meetings with industry groups, associations, networks and working groups. It also said a tourism planning framework had been implemented in 15 destination areas.
Finally, tourism planning sits alongside related creative-economy activity. The 2022-23 annual report said Newfoundland and Labrador’s film and television industry generated $97.5 million in economic activity and supported more than 1,650 full-time jobs. Budget 2022 included $10 million for a new CNA Film and Media Production Centre and $10 million for the Film and Television Equity Investment Program. Four productions filmed in the province received 13 Canadian Screen Award nominations.