Marketing southwestern N.S. as visitor destination steps up
The Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association (YASTA) and Bay Ferries have teamed up to market southwestern Nova Scotia as a destination to New England travelers in March.
"I'm just returning from a travel show in Boston,” said
Neil Mackenzie, executive director of YASTA, during a recent interview. “I was there for two days telling everybody about the ferry service coming out of Bar Harbor. There was lots of interest in the ferry, lots of interest in Nova Scotia (which is) seen as a great destination where people want to go.”
After a three-year absence, The CAT high-speed ferry will be back in operation this year between Yarmouth, N.S. and Bar Harbor, Maine. It didn't operate the past two years due to COVID and the year before that construction at the Bar Harbor terminal canceled the season.
The Boston Travel and Adventure Show, held March 5 and 6, was the first of two U.S. travel shows that YASTA and Bay Ferries are participating in this month. They will be attending the New York Travel and Adventure Show on March 18 to 20.
“We know that a lot of visitors that come across The CAT come up from New York. They like the experience they get. I think that's a good market to try and build on as well,” said Mackenzie.
The Digby to St. John, N.B. ferry, Fundy Rose, was also promoted at the show. People like that route as well, Mackenzie said.
Both are consumer shows – people looking for vacation destinations, he said.
“It's a good group of people to be marketing to that's for sure. We partner with Bay Ferries to attend a lot of our shows in the U.S. They've been good partners with us and help us leverage our marketing dollars," he said. "The budgets we get from our partners are really well leveraged when we work with partners like Bay Ferries.”
On Feb. 7, Bay Ferries began selling tickets for The CAT's 2022 season. The company has a series of marketing initiatives designed to encourage bookings and travel, said Rhonda Latter, Director of Corporate Services for Bay Ferries.
Bay Ferries saw interest in vacations to Nova Scotia and the Maritimes at the Boston Travel and Adventure Show, noted Latter.
“Our representatives engaged northeastern U.S. resident attendees about their prospective travel plans and The CAT service. Common queries posed concerned travel via car, motorcycle and recreational vehicle, including routing options and accommodations.”
Latter said Bay Ferries is running a series of special offers and timed promotions for travel in 2022. An early booking offer is available until March 31 to entice prospective passengers to book their tickets.
“We are also offering Nova Scotia residents 50 percent off passenger fares on The CAT for the entire season,” she said, adding children aged six and under can ride for free all season as well.
The sailing season is scheduled to start on May 19, with service four days per week until June 22, after which it increases to seven days a week. On Sept. 7, service reduces to six days per week with the season ending on Oct. 10.
The CAT will depart Yarmouth at 9:30 a.m. Atlantic time, arrive in Bar Harbor at approximately 12 noon Eastern time. It will depart Bar Harbor at 3 p.m. Eastern time and arrive in Yarmouth at approximately 7:30 p.m. Atlantic time. The crossing duration is approximately three-and-a-half hours.
Mackenzie said YASTA saw indicators last year that people want to travel.
"We did see quite a few visitors from around the Maritimes come to Yarmouth and Acadia shores last year and from what I can tell now that trend is going to continue," he said.
Conversations are also being held around the return of cruise ships to the region.
“We were on a good trajectory before the pandemic in building some relationships getting cruise visits in Yarmouth and Shelburne… we're continuing those discussions now trying to get back on their itineraries," Mackenzie said. "There's nothing planned as of yet, but we do expect something to happen soon. We're really focused on developing our niche cruise ship market… expedition class vessels, which are coming in around 300 to 600 passengers maximum.”
Shelburne was a port of call prior to the pandemic, welcoming two cruise ships in 2019. Shelburne Mayor Harold Locke said the town has five cruise ship visits scheduled in 2023.
“That's really encouraging,” he said. “Hopefully everything will work out and we will have some visits.”
Meanwhile, going into the 2022 visitor season, labour continues to be a huge challenge for the tourism industry, said Mackenzie.
“For most of our tourism operators, labour really is a challenge. Something we as a destination, like other destinations around the province, have to really struggle with. Restaurants, accommodations, tourism operators, they all need people. The pandemic has really done a number on the industry. A lot of people have moved on or left,” he said.
“We're definitely not unscathed from it for sure," he added. "We've lost restaurants, businesses have closed, businesses have struggled staying open…it's been a real challenge.”
According to provincial statistics, provincial tourism revenues were $2.6 billion in 2019. In 2020, tourism revenues were estimated at about $1 billion and 2021 revenues were expected to be similar.
The province recently announced $12 million in tourism marketing and digital adoption programming to help strengthen Nova Scotia's tourism industry.
The funding includes $9.2 million for registered tourist accommodations to implement marketing activities and build demand in 2022; $1.8 million for regional marketing initiatives aimed at attracting visitors to Nova Scotia and encouraging them to experience different regions of the province; and $1 million to help tourism operators and event managers enhance their digital marketing and online presence, including online booking capabilities.
"As we begin the rebuild of Nova Scotia's tourism industry, TIANS is extremely pleased to see additional funding being made available to promote regional tourism and businesses,” said Darlene Grant Fiander, president of Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS), in a media release. “This program will enable Nova Scotia accommodation operators to work with local suppliers to put compelling packages together and extend the operating season."
"COVID-19 decimated the Nova Scotia tourism economy with a loss of $1.6 billion in revenue in both 2020 and 2021, and as of today we are still down 20,000 jobs," added Fiander. "Over the coming months TIANS looks forward to working with government on a strategic rebuilding plan that will support the sector reclaiming its position as Nova Scotia's No. 1 service export."
“As we begin the rebuild of Nova Scotia’s tourism industry, TIANS is extremely pleased to see additional funding being made available to promote regional tourism and businesses.” Darlene Grant Fiander President of Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia