Long weekend kicks off Maritime tourism season
The long May weekend is a traditional kickoff for seasonal tourism operators around the Maritimes, and there’s already early signs of a busy summer ahead.
The Fundy Trail Parkway officially opened on Friday and is recording a 46 per cent increase in visitor numbers within its first two days when compared to the same period last year.
Nancy Lockerbie, Fundy Trail Parkway general manager, says the first people through its gates on Friday was a couple from the U.S. state of Maryland.
"So it was wonderful to see travel resume from outside of New Brunswick," says Lockerbie.
The parkway recorded impressive visitor numbers throughout the first two years of the pandemic thanks largely to local traffic. Visitor numbers on the parkway in 2021 were up about 35 per cent over pre-pandemic figures.
In early May, New Brunswick’s Department of Tourism and Parks reported a three per cent increase in its campground occupancy rate at provincial parks compared to the same time last year, noting 2021 was a record year
Other local attractions opening this weekend include the Hopewell Rocks in Hopewell Cape, N.B., Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrews, N.B., and Ministers Island near St. Andrews, N.B., Several seasonal tourism information centres across the Maritimes also open this long weekend.
In the past several years, a growing number of tourist attractions have scheduled seasonal openings to coincide with the school year ending.
Lockerbie says May’s long weekend provides an opportunity to gear up for the upcoming peak season.
"Friday is usually the 'test' day and we work all our cobwebs out," she says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck
Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
A couple lost their wedding rings during the ceremony. Two strangers found a fitting solution
Every good wedding has to have one teensy, tiny crisis.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.