'It's going to be alright': Tourism operators along the Cabot Trail say they’re optimistic for summer
Phase 2 of Nova Scotia's COVID-19 reopening plan means most Parks Canada sites along the Cabot Trail were able to welcome back visitors on Wednesday – opening the door for an increase in tourism this summer.
The Cape Breton Highlands National Park is home to some of the most iconic tourist experiences, providing some of the prettiest views in the Maritimes.
(Photo courtesy: novascotia.com)
One food truck driver in Chéticamp, N.S. who went into business about one year before the COVID-19 pandemic began, says the opportunity for tourists will be a game-changer.
"That's what we kind of rely on," said Serge Paul Camus who owns a food truck. "Tourists coming around, stating in town and supporting local food."
The Chéticamp Campground sits just inside the entrance to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
According to Parks Canada, reservations for early summer are booking up quickly.
"Reservations after next week, up to Canada day and beyond into July are looking really great," said Kelly Deveaux with Parks Canada.
Yvette Lelievre is the tour guide at the Les Trois Pignons – a museum in Chéticamp showcasing Acadian culture and traditional rug hooking.
She says visitors within the park means more traffic for the museum.
"Obviously having people around where they can go to restaurants, they can go to B&B's and motels and have them around where they can enjoy the region and spend a little time, and a little money," said Lelievre.
According to Parks Canada, some things like tour group sizes and campground availability are still under reduced capacity in order to allow for physical distancing and COVID-19 public health guidelines.
"We ask that our visitors do plan ahead," said Deveaux. "Take the time to prepare for your visit. Make yourself aware of any travel restrictions."
Those along the Cabot Trail say they hope the increase in tourism will help make up for lost time and money.
"I'm going to be back to normal now," said Camus. "It's going to be alright, I'm not going to have to worry about paying bills."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 across the country.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.