The impact of tourism in Kingston

Tourism in Kingston

Kingston is centrally positioned in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montréal corridor and part of the world famous Thousand Islands. More than 14.5 million Canadians – or a third of the country’s population – live within a three-hour drive of Kingston and thousands of US residents live just across the border.

This geographic proximity combined with Kingston’s history and heritage, lakeside location, lively arts and culture scene, several anchor tourism attractions, and 40+ accommodation properties, sees tourism contribute substantially to the city’s economy.

In 2025, Kingston welcomed 2.65 million visitors who spent $538.9 million staying, shopping, dining, and experiencing the city.