Booming business: Cape Breton Island tourism making up for lost time
With the summer season sailing by, tourism operators in Cape Breton are cashing in.
After the COVID-19 pandemic plagued the past few years, people are travelling again and businesses on the island are busier than ever.
“It really started picking up for us this month. We really started to see a large amount of tourists coming through the gates,” said Martin Kejval, project manager for Cape Smokey Holding Ltd.
This is the first summer in business for the revamped Cape Smokey grounds. The newest attraction is a gondola, which allows visitors to experience breathtaking views.
“This month, we really started to see a big shift in the clientele. We see much more people from Ontario, Quebec, and we do see a fair bit of Americans as well,” said Kejval.
The Celtic Colours International Music Festival, which attracts thousands to the island, is also seeing a rapid response.
Tickets went on sale last week and some shows are already sold out.
“We're really excited to see lots of interest locally, but we've been getting tons of calls internationally,” said Leanne Birmingham-Beddow, Celtic Colours CEO.
The October event will return with in-person shows for the first time in two years.
Birmingham-Beddow says if the summer season is any indication, they're in for a successful festival.
“I've been out to see our hotel partners and they are all having a very busy summer. I heard from a couple in Baddeck and they're over sold for October. We actually sold out several of our concerts in the first day,” she said.
Destination Cape Breton CEO Terry Smith says numbers show a return to pre-pandemic sales.
“A lot of the experts were predicting that there was a lot of pent up demand and pent up savings, so even higher gas prices weren't keeping people from travelling, so that's really good to see,” said Smith.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Biden OKs US$60M in aid after Baltimore bridge collapse as governor warns of 'very long road ahead'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned Thursday of a 'very long road ahead' to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved US$60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse.