South Shore makes splash at tourism industry summit

While current talk on the wharf is of the splash of lobster traps hitting the water in LFA 33 &

34, much of the talk at the recent 2019 TIANS Tourism Summit was about the splash the South Shore is making in “Charting the Course” in tourism business in Nova Scotia.

Stephanie Miller Vincent, coordinator of the South Shore Tourism Cooperative (SSTC), pitched the South Shore Lobster Crawl during the Tourism Start Up Innovation Session held

Dec. 2.

During this session industry stakeholders banded together to hear regional representatives pitch their business concepts to a panel of investment experts. The SSTC showcased and promoted the month-long South Shore Lobster Crawl festival as part of the industry’s acknowledgement of the need for innovators and creative minds to keep moving Nova Scotia’s tourism industry forward. The industry knows that to reach the $4-billion growth goal, it needs new ideas, risk-takers and business visionaries.

Donna Hatt, SSTC chairperson, lent her voice to what is happening to extend the lucrative tourism season with this festival, which stretches from

Shelburne County to Lunenburg County.

As a result of the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, Donna Hatt, was named 2019 Tourism Champion of the Year. Hatt is a fierce advocate for the potential of tourism in Nova Scotia and is well known for her energy and passion for the industry, and particularly for the South Shore.

The Nova Scotia’s Lobster Crawl was held for the first time in February 2018. The event invites guests to come to the South Shore — from Barrington to Peggy’s Cove — to sink their claws into the tasty crustacean on its home turf with a savory month-long celebration of lobster, and lobster-themed experiences. The inaugural year boasted over 60 events, and in 2019 it grew to more than 100 — with even more on the horizon for 2020.

Visit www.lobstercrawl.ca for more information.

Meanwhile, the third 3rd Annual Christmas Crawl, a grassroots collaborative effort to attract visitors to stroll and stay on the South Shore to celebrate the season, is also underway. Running from November through January, it stitches together existing events from more than 80 participating businesses, galleries, museums and retailers. This effort attracts visitors to sip, savour, shop and stay in the region. Visit www. christmascrawl.ca for more information.

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