People booked a record 2 million room nights in Halifax in 2025: report

The Halifax skyline is seen from Dartmouth, N.S., on June 30, 2022. (Andrea Jerrett/CTV Atlantic)

Halifax’s tourism industry is showing steady momentum, with 2025 becoming a record year for visitors, according to a yearly report.

Discover Halifax’s 2025 Annual Report, released Wednesday, found the total combined hotel and short-term rental room nights sold in the municipality reached 2,008,350.

Last year was the first time Halifax hotel room and short-term rentals surpassed two million nights, representing a two per cent increase over 2024.

“As we reflect on 2025, Halifax’s tourism industry demonstrated steady performance and continued momentum, even as it navigated capacity pressures and a shifting global environment,” said Ross Jefferson, president and CEO of Discover Halifax, in a news release. “These results reinforce the sustained appeal of HRM as a destination, and the growing demand across both leisure and business travel.”

More indicators of strong performance from Discover Halifax’s report are:

• successful bids for business events generated more than $76.5 million, an increase of 17 per cent over 2024
• successful bids for festivals and events more than doubled from 2024, reaching $49.3 million
• online visitors to the Discover Halifax website increased 36 per cent year-over-year to more than 2.6 million
• surveyed residents reported support for tourism, with 90 per cent viewing it as having a positive impact on the community.

Some of the 2025 events highlighted in the report include the Canadian Curling Trials, Halifax Music Fest, the Women’s Hockey Rivalry Series, and the Box Lacrosse National Championships.

“HRM is well positioned for the future, and we are ready to continue shaping a vibrant and sustainable tourism sector,” said Jefferson.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page