Cultural Tourism

The National Trust for Canada fully recognizes the importance and potential that built heritage poses for the ongoing vitality of communities, to the benefit of residents and as an attraction to tourists.

• Authenticity

Original heritage buildings and sites, historic architecture, natural and cultural landscapes abound. We have the World Heritage Sites of historic Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and the walled city of Québec. No thematic replicas here.

• Historic Architecture

Organizations such as the Society of Architectural Historians, the Victorian Society in America and the Vernacular Architecture Forum come to Canada for international conferences and visits because of the historic architecture found in our major cities.

• Family History

Church and municipal archives, provincial land registries, museums, family descendants - tourists will search everywhere to help them trace their family history. Genealogy sells!

• Learning and enrichment

High-quality learning experiences provide tourists with the colour, character and texture of unique heritage places. For example, at Artillery Park National Historic Site in Old Québec, the “Divine Port” program focuses on British military history of the 19th century, when port wine was the drink of choice. A wine steward teaches visitors about the liquor and then leads a wine-tasting.