Tourism gets experience boost
L’Ardoise native returns home to bring new visitors to Richmond County
If Denise Martell has things her way, a historic Cape Breton village will be booming with visitors this summer.
After more than decade out west, the Richmond County woman has returned home to be the new tourism coordinator with the St. Peter’s Economic Development Organization.
And, the 54-year-old native of L’Ardoise is not only bringing back a vehicle with an Alberta licence plate, but she’s also bringing a whole lot of experience and the enthusiasm to go with it.
“I am so excited to be back home — Cape Breton Island is such a wonderful place and we have so much to offer visitors,” said the energetic Martell, whose latest job was with Travel Alberta as the director of special projects and media.
Travel Alberta president Jim Vincent said Martell was someone he could always count on to get things done.
“If we had a problem with
short timelines, low budgets, or contention in a group, we sent Denise, her expertise always carried the projects to completion on budget and on time,” he said.
While in Alberta, Martell worked closely with community groups and business leaders while working on a number of diverse projects that included the Edmonton Grand Prix and the Big Valley Jamboree, a well-known multi-day music festival.
Prior to her work in western Canada, Martell was a former Richmond Country tourism co-ordinator and held positions with Pictou Recreation and Tourism and sat on the board of Destination Cape Breton.
“We’re happy to have her,” said acting chair Sherry MacLeod of the St. Peter’s Economic Development Organization.
“She is extremely well organized, creative and able to meet deadlines, is an experienced public speaker, workshop facilitator and publications manager.”
But Martell knows the accolades are based on past work and that boosting tourism in the St. Peter’s area, as well as the rest of Cape Breton, requires a lot of time and effort.
“We need to reach a greater audience — we need to do more than just invite our neighbours and friends to come to festivals and stuff, we need to reach beyond that and go to new markets and bring people to Cape Breton Island where they can spend their money,” she said.
“That’s the key — we need to bring outside people into our communities because that’s where economic development takes place.
Martell said co-operation is another necessity and she’s looking forward to working with tourism promoters and service providers, including Cape Breton’s aboriginal communities.
Although she’s only been on the job for 17 days, yes, she keeps track, Martell is already planning for the Saltscape Tourism Lifestyle Expo that will take place later this month in Halifax.
She said she expects the St. Peter’s area to be busy this summer with many events including the Potlotek Powwow (July 21-23), Swim the Canal (Aug. 6) and St. Peter’s Pirate Days (Sept. 15-17).