Canada’s far-reaching culture and global influence will be on show at this this year’s FT Weekend Festival.
Destination Canada is a sponsor of the event, which features a programme of speakers and discussions, at Kenwood House in London on September 5.
FT Weekend Festival is one of the UK’s leading celebrations of ideas and culture, bringing together renowned thinkers, writers, business leaders, journalists and cultural voices to explore the issues shaping today’s world.
Leading Destination Canada’s presence at this year’s festival will be acclaimed author and travel writer Paul Theroux, who will appear on the Travel Stage to discuss his forthcoming book, True North: On the Road in Canada.
Blending a cross-country journey with a personal exploration of his Canadian heritage, the book follows Theroux from Newfoundland to Vancouver as he explores the landscapes, communities and stories that shape modern Canada.
Gloria Loree, Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer at Destination Canada, said: “We’re proud to partner with FT Weekend Festival to introduce audiences to a side of Canada that is authentic, thought-provoking and full of stories waiting to be discovered.
“FT Weekend Festival provides a fantastic platform to share a different perspective on Canada. Through voices like Paul Theroux’s, we have an opportunity to showcase the people, places and experiences that shape our country, while inspiring audiences to discover Canada for themselves,” she said.
Canada is enjoying a golden age of tourism, with new Tourism GDP data produced by Statistics Canada in collaboration with Destination Canada showing that visitor spending reached $140.5 billion in 2025, while tourism GDP grew 2.5%, outperforming Canada’s overall economic growth. Revenues from tourism are projected to grow to $177 billion by 2030.
The tourism sector now supports almost 688,000 direct jobs in Canada, more than 280,000 businesses and has become one of the country’s top two service exports.
travel.destination.com
