Accommodation Statistics

Tourism Nova Scotia gathers and reports tourism statistics on behalf of the tourism industry. These statistics help inform our decision-making, help describe visitors to Nova Scotia, and can be used by tourism businesses and organizations for planning and business development. As tourism indicators are compiled from several sources, data becomes available at different times. Tourism Nova Scotia reports the most up-to-date statistics available so reporting timelines for each indicator may differ.

See 2023 Accommodation Statistics (PDF)

Month of July 2023

Accommodations operators reported 390,000 room nights sold in the month of July 2023. Following several months of robust growth, July 2023 room night sales in Nova Scotia were down by 1% (a difference of 5,000 room nights) compared with the same month in 2022, and up 5% (a difference of 20,000 room nights) compared with July 2019.

Declines in room nights sold compared with July 2022 were observed across a few regions:

South Shore (28,000 room nights sold, down 8% or 2,400 fewer room nights sold).
Halifax Metro (191,000 room nights sold, down 2%, or 3,800 fewer room nights sold)
Cape Breton (70,000 room nights sold, down 8%, or 6,200 fewer room nights sold).

Other regions, meanwhile, recorded growth in room nights sold compared with July 2022:

Bay of Fundy & Annapolis Valley (56,000 room nights sold, up 13% or 6,500 more room nights sold).
Northumberland Shore (28,000 room nights sold, up 2%, or 600 more room nights)

Year-to-date July 2023

Nova Scotia accommodations operators report 1.6 million room nights sold from January to July 2023, a 10% increase (a difference of 148,000 room nights) compared with the first seven months of 2022 and a 13% increase (a difference of 193,000 room nights) over the same period in 2019.

Double-digit growth in room night sales occurred in all tourism regions of the province over the first seven months of 2023 relative to the same period in 2019.

Bay of Fundy & Annapolis Valley (213,000 room nights sold, up 25% or 43,000 more room nights sold).
Eastern Shore (10,000 room nights sold, up 22% or 2,000 more room nights sold).
South Shore (104,000 room nights sold, up 18% or 16,000 more room nights sold).
Cape Breton (230,000 room nights sold, up 10%, or 21,000 more room nights sold).
Northumberland Shore (112,000 room nights sold, up 11%, or 12,000 more room nights sold).
Halifax Metro (933,000 room nights sold, up 10%, or 85,000 more room nights sold).
Yarmouth & Acadian Shores (46,000 room nights sold, up 50%, or 15,000 more room nights sold).

Nova Scotia Room Nights Sold (TNS Accommodations Database):

According to AirDNA, in the month of July 2023 there were 102,000 room nights booked through sharing economy platforms (such as Airbnb, Vrbo), an increase of 11% compared with July 2022, and an increase of 23% compared with July 2019.

Year-to-date July 2023, 334,000 room nights were booked through sharing economy platforms. This was an increase of 15% compared with the first seven months of 2022 and an increase of 42% compared with the same period in 2019.

Room Nights Booked Through Sharing Economy Platforms:

According to the latest data from the CBRE Hotels National Market Report, the average room rate for Nova Scotia accommodations was $235 in July 2023, up 20% from July 2022, and up 49% from July 2019. The rate within HRM was $261, an increase of 23% from the average rate of $212 the previous year, and up 54% compared with 2019. In the balance of the province, the average rate was $176, up 11% from 2022, and representing an increase of 34% compared with 2019.

The average room rate was $184 in the first seven months of 2023, an increase of 19% over the same period in 2022 and an increase of 29% compared with the same period in 2019.

Year-to-date July 2023, the average room rate in the Halifax Regional Municipality was $198, up 31% over the same period in 2019, while the average room rate of $146 in the rest of Nova Scotia was up 22% compared with 2019.

Average Room Rates Per Night in Nova Scotia:

See 2022 Accommodation Statistics (PDF)

See 2022 Tourism Performance Report (PDF)

See 2022 Tourism Accommodations Report (PDF)

Tourism statistics are compiled from a variety of sources, including:

Operator accommodation occupancy reports
Room rate data from CBRE Limited
Data collected by AirDNA regarding room night bookings through sharing economy platforms
In-person surveys administered to passengers at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Motor vehicle enumeration at the Nova Scotia – New Brunswick border
Passenger information from ferry operators
The Nova Scotia Visitor Exit Survey
Data from Halifax International Airport Authority

These statistics reflect the combined efforts of tourism businesses, organizations, communities, and governments, and include activities by both Nova Scotians and non-resident visitors. There are many factors that contribute to tourism industry performance including events, weather, gas prices, air capacity, currency fluctuations, geo-political circumstances, and industry initiatives such as marketing. Tourism Nova Scotia is just one organization among many contributing to tourism growth. We support tourism growth through marketing in key national and international markets, support for experience and business development, and visitor servicing. For more information about Tourism Nova Scotia's strategy and performance, please see Plans & Reports.

Accommodation Statistics