The numbers are out and they show that all three Maritime provinces saw a big boost in tourism this past summer, with an increase in virtually every category of visitor.
Those in the tourism industry say the summer of 2016 will be fondly remembered and difficult to match in years to come.
“I think it was one of the best we’ve had in 25 years,” says Tim Henderson, managing director at the Kingsbrae Gardens in St. Andrews, N.B.
Kingsbrae Gardens was one of many locations that saw a double-digit increase in visitors, with Henderson giving credit to the higher American dollar and long stretches of good weather.
He says this tourism season may have been a turning point for the industry.
“Historically, people have gone through New Brunswick and haven’t stopped on their way to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, but I think more people are stopping and starting to experience what we have to offer,” says Henderson.
In both July and August, there were more visitors staying in hotels, motels and cottages in all three provinces, compared to 2015.
New Brunswick saw a six per cent increase in room nights sold in both July and August, compared to last year.
Nova Scotia saw a six per cent increase in room nights sold in July, and a four per cent increase in August.
The biggest increases were on P.E.I., with a 13 per cent jump in room nights in July and a nine per cent jump in August.
Mike Belliveau of Hospitality Saint John says summer brought a wave of tourists from the United States, while the dollar kept Canadians at home.
“A lot of tour buses came through the area, a lot of American visitors came in,” says Belliveau. “A lot of Maritimers stayed in the Maritimes and a lot of Eastern Canadians came to the Maritimes and paid Saint John a visit and they stayed.”
Henderson says the spectacle of U.S. presidential politics may have played a role too.
“We had a lot of folks escaping the election and they said they were definitely here to get away from it all.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
