February Tourism Stats Available

The Canada Games helped boost the number of room nights sold in Nova Scotia by 16 per cent in February 2011 compared to 2010.

The two-week school break in Halifax Regional Municipality also contributed to increased accommodation activity throughout the province.

While air travel increased by eight per cent in February, road travel to the province decreased by 14 per cent in the same time period, causing an eight per cent drop in overall visitors.

Hazardous weather conditions during the month of February may have deterred visitors travelling by automobile from visiting Nova Scotia, however, motorcoach travel for the Canada Games helped offset this decrease.

"The Canada Games brought many visitors to the province and had a positive impact on our air travel and accommodations," said John MacDonell, acting Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. "It is the first of many exciting events planned for 2011 that will help attract more visitors to Nova Scotia and build the province as a world-class travel destination."

In February, domestic travel to the province fell eight per cent. Visits from Atlantic Canada decreased by 13 per cent. However, the number of visitors from Quebec and Ontario was on par with February 2010, and western Canadian visitors were up 51 per cent.

Total overseas visitors to the province in February increased from 1,400 to 2,200 compared to last year.

For the year-to-date, room nights sold are up 11 per cent and visitors are down seven per cent.

Traditionally, February visitors account for about four per cent of the total number of visits to Nova Scotia each year.

Tourism statistics vary across the province. Detailed results can be found at http://www.gov.ns.ca/econ/tourism/research/latest-activity-updates.asp.

Nova Scotia's comprehensive system for reporting monthly tourism statistics includes counting non-resident overnight visitors at all entry points to the province and gathers the number of room nights sold from licensed accommodation operators.

Tourism is an important contributor to Nova Scotia's economy. In 2008, the industry employed more than 31,000 people and generated revenues of $1.82 billion.