Visitor Centres Opening Early Boost Industry

Nova Scotia's visitor information centre in Amherst is open for business, providing a jumpstart for the tourism industry and a valuable service to visitors. The centre at Port Hastings will also open earlier this year.

"Opening the centres early is one of several steps we're taking to help extend the tourism season in Nova Scotia," says Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism and Culture. "We're hoping actions like this will encourage other operators to do the same."

Amherst's early opening is a joint partnership between the department, the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS) and Human Resources Development Canada.

"This is a wonderful step toward a 365-day year for the industry," says Judith Cabrita, managing director with TIANS. "The benefits of year round tourism are great for the sector and the province overall."

The centre, located at the Nova Scotia/New Brunswick border, is open seven days a week with a full range of counselling and support services available.

In Port Hastings, the centre will open seven days a week beginning March 17.

"We have talked all along about trying to extend the season on both ends. Having the Port Hastings Centre open is a major first step in encouraging the whole industry to work towards that goal," says Ken Tutty, executive director with Tourism Cape Breton.

More than 947,000 visitors received travel advice at Nova Scotia's 13 centres in 1999, representing an 18 per cent increase over 1998. Port Hastings was the busiest centre last year with a 63 per cent jump in the number of visitors. Surveys have shown that when travelers visit a centre, they tend to stay in the province longer. That means more revenue for businesses across the province.

Nova Scotia's tourism industry experienced double digit growth in 1999, making it the strongest year ever. Revenues reached $1.27 billion, representing a 16 per cent gain on top of 1998's record breaking $1.1 billion.