The CAT Goes Back to Boston

Nova Scotia is sending a new Blue CAT to Boston to invite New Englanders once again to discover the province as a travel destination.

In about a week, more than 160 tourism industry operators from across the province will team up to deliver the Nova Scotian experience to Boston from May 17 to 19. Building on the overwhelming success of a similar promotion in 1999, Nova Scotia is inviting Bostonians aboard Bay Ferries' luxurious new CAT. This high-profile floating consumer trade show will offer three days of down-home hospitality, live entertainment, history and travel information at the Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston National Historical Park.

"The Northeastern United States is our most lucrative and important American travel market, generating an estimated $44 million last year," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism and Culture. "Nova Scotia is a world-class destination that offers visitors unforgettable experiences and we will be showcasing those experiences. This event will also give us the opportunity to strengthen our economic, historical and cultural ties with New Englanders."

Tourism operators from across Nova Scotia will offer a sample of the diversity of the province. They will work with musicians, animators, and crafts people to transform the decks of The CAT and the surrounding Charlestown Navy Yard dock into a festival of Nova Scotia travel.

Live performances throughout the 22-hour event will feature Cape Breton musicians Mairi Rankin and Ryan MacNeil and the Baie En Joie Dancers from La Baie Ste-Marie area, in Southwest Nova Scotia. New Englanders will have a chance to explore their genealogical ties with the Maritimes. They can also learn about Nova Scotia's natural wonders, local cuisine, resorts and accommodations and regional events.

"Members of our tourism industry were quick to accept an opportunity to participate in this promotion," said Paul Stackhouse, chair of the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council. "In the spirit of partnership, Nova Scotia Tourism and Culture, the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council, the province of Prince Edward Island, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Enterprise Cape Breton Ltd., and the Canadian Tourism Commission are working together with industry operators from Nova Scotia and P.E.I. to generate results."

Bay Ferries' new CAT, nicknamed "Blue Cat" for her eye-catching exterior, will serve as the unique stage for this large-scale promotion. This will be her inaugural voyage to Boston. Bay Ferries operates the car-ferry service between Yarmouth and Bar Harbor, Me., daily from late May to mid-October.

"We are delighted to introduce our new CAT to New Englanders and Nova Scotia's tourism industry as part of such an exciting promotion," said Mitchell McLean, president of Bay Ferries Limited. "With increased capacity, smoother rides, luxurious new interiors and amazing panoramic views, we can offer our customers an even more comfortable way to save an entire day of travel from New England to Nova Scotia."

Nova Scotia's Department of Tourism and Culture and its partners are working together to realize the province's potential as a world-class four-season destination. The CAT promotion in 1999 directly resulted in $4.3 million in tourism expenditures for the province.