(Originally published in TOURISM)
Quebeckers have long enjoyed a special relationship with Prince Edward Island, and generations of them have made the iconic Canadian island destination a perpetual favorite for family holidays. However, the local provincial tourism industry has lately witnessed some fluctuations in the number of travellers from Quebec, and this has left the executive director of the PEI Tourism Industry Association, Don Cudmore, a little puzzled.
“The Quebec market seems to be inconsistent. One year it is up, one year it is down. If there is a trend, it is inconsistency in visitation from Quebec. We can’t seem to get a handle on it but we continue to try and work that market.” Fortunately, Cudmore says, Ontario (PEI’s largest market) remains relatively stable even if, in his words, “it doesn’t show a whole lot of growth.”
Cudmore notes that many of the neighbouring provinces have conducted effective stay-at-home campaigns lately. “Newfoundland and Labrador, one of our domestic markets, has continued to do a good stay-at-home campaign, which has impacted the number of people travelling outside of that province. Quebec and Ontario have carried out major efforts along the same lines. The reality is that this is impacting travel patterns and our numbers.”
Cudmore says provincial government and industry efforts to counter this trend are relentless. “We are just trying to find ways to be more creative in those markets, to continue to get people to come this way. We are looking at products which attract, and we are enhancing them.”
He is also quick to note that “although we have seen in the past few years some declines in visitation and tourism revenue in this country, the tourism industry is still a major vibrant industry. On PEI, it represents 7% of our GDP, which is very substantial, a lot more than what you will find in our sister provinces. It does have a major impact on our economic development.”
Cudmore also points out that the increasing popularity of all-inclusive vacations among Canadians who are frequent travellers outside of the country is not without consequences. “This has certainly impacted what they would spend on their trips within Canada. And more people are going to the US at the moment; all of these things are impacting domestic travel. The good news is, although they are having an impact on us, we are not having dramatic declines.”
“We know tourism is a growing segment. We have a great product. We are going through a process of cataloguing our product and making it easier for the consumer to understand and experience,” says Cudmore. Tourism stakeholders are also looking at opportunities emerging from the establishment of the Confederation Trail for outdoor-based vacations. “We are doing a lot of infrastructure work and we are spending much time telling more people about it. We are also cataloguing our beaches, so our visitors can select the beach that fits their needs, whether they are full-service beaches with large parking areas or secluded beaches where visitors might go to for a swim and a walk on a beach.”
Quebeckers have long enjoyed a special relationship with Prince Edward Island, and generations of them have made the iconic Canadian island destination a perpetual favorite for family holidays. However, the local provincial tourism industry has lately witnessed some fluctuations in the number of travellers from Quebec, and this has left the executive director of the PEI Tourism Industry Association, Don Cudmore, a little puzzled.
“The Quebec market seems to be inconsistent. One year it is up, one year it is down. If there is a trend, it is inconsistency in visitation from Quebec. We can’t seem to get a handle on it but we continue to try and work that market.” Fortunately, Cudmore says, Ontario (PEI’s largest market) remains relatively stable even if, in his words, “it doesn’t show a whole lot of growth.”
Cudmore notes that many of the neighbouring provinces have conducted effective stay-at-home campaigns lately. “Newfoundland and Labrador, one of our domestic markets, has continued to do a good stay-at-home campaign, which has impacted the number of people travelling outside of that province. Quebec and Ontario have carried out major efforts along the same lines. The reality is that this is impacting travel patterns and our numbers.”
Cudmore says provincial government and industry efforts to counter this trend are relentless. “We are just trying to find ways to be more creative in those markets, to continue to get people to come this way. We are looking at products which attract, and we are enhancing them.”
He is also quick to note that “although we have seen in the past few years some declines in visitation and tourism revenue in this country, the tourism industry is still a major vibrant industry. On PEI, it represents 7% of our GDP, which is very substantial, a lot more than what you will find in our sister provinces. It does have a major impact on our economic development.”
Cudmore also points out that the increasing popularity of all-inclusive vacations among Canadians who are frequent travellers outside of the country is not without consequences. “This has certainly impacted what they would spend on their trips within Canada. And more people are going to the US at the moment; all of these things are impacting domestic travel. The good news is, although they are having an impact on us, we are not having dramatic declines.”
“We know tourism is a growing segment. We have a great product. We are going through a process of cataloguing our product and making it easier for the consumer to understand and experience,” says Cudmore. Tourism stakeholders are also looking at opportunities emerging from the establishment of the Confederation Trail for outdoor-based vacations. “We are doing a lot of infrastructure work and we are spending much time telling more people about it. We are also cataloguing our beaches, so our visitors can select the beach that fits their needs, whether they are full-service beaches with large parking areas or secluded beaches where visitors might go to for a swim and a walk on a beach.”
Comments