SYDNEY, N.S. -- There has been much talk about a tourism “bubble” between the Atlantic Canadian provinces, and while the premiers have discussed the idea, it has not been approved.
The tourism bubble would allow Atlantic Canadians to travel throughout the four provinces without restrictions and without the need to self-isolate.
Many businesses and tourism operators say it’s time to set a date, and soon, because they need notice to prepare for out-of-province visitors.
“It would be nice to have a date so we know what we could prep for,” says Mary Pat Mombourquette, executive director of the Cape Breton Miners Museum in Glace Bay, N.S.
For the first time this season, the doors of the museum will be open to the public at the end of the month, but staff will be targeting a different audience, as travel restrictions remain in place in Atlantic Canada.
“What we are thinking about now is opening with reduced hours. If there was more visitation from the Atlantic provinces, we have to expand to regular hours,” explains Mombourquette.
She says tourism operators rely on visitors from other provinces, and they are going to hurt financially this year if the borders remain closed and self-isolation restrictions remain in place.
Andrew Alkenbrack, general manager of the Cabot Links Resort in Inverness, N.S., agrees.
“Nova Scotia has been our most important market from the day we opened, but we just don’t have enough people in the province,” he says.
Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs will open Friday. The popular golf courses attract golfers from all over the world, but with no word on when -- or if – a tourism bubble will happen, golfers outside Nova Scotia can’t plan to play.
“You can’t be half open, either,” says Alkenbrack. “There’s a significant amount of cost that comes with gearing up for opening, whether you’re at 100 per cent or whether you’re at 10 per cent, you’re open.”
Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Cumberland North, has expressed on social media her support for removing border restrictions, saying a Maritime approach to the pandemic is needed.
“Let’s all follow public health measures and open our Maritime borders today,” tweeted Smith-McCrossin. “My people need this now.”
Terry Smith, the CEO of Destination Cape Breton, is optimistic Atlantic Canadians will be allowed to travel within the provinces this summer, but says businesses need some certainty it’s going to happen, so they can plan accordingly.
“If they know that people from New Brunswick might be able to come in July, they might accept reservations, but right now they’re not,” says Smith.
“I think it’s a great idea. When you look at the number of active cases in the region, even with the outbreak in northern New Brunswick, it’s very low.”
For now, it’s a waiting game for tourism operators who are hoping to salvage a tourism season that has been disappointing so far.
