Provincial tourism team gets earful

At the end of it, many of those struggling with the dramatic drop in visitors to Southwest Nova stood to voice their concerns and frustrations.

Linda Deveau, representing the Seafest Festival, spoke about PlaYarmouth, an office that was originally established to promote events just for Main Street merchants. “They coordinate 10 specific festivals and have assisted with 30 other events over the years as well as 33 meetings and conventions that have gone on in the community. “PlaYarmouth has morphed itself into so much more. We’re looking to have this office maintained and sustained so that will be the key point for new festivals,” she said.

Ann Jones, chair of the Yarmouth Craft Guild, said it’s been a struggle to navigate their way through the bureaucracy with regard to promoting crafts, including their Craft Spash fall event. “Crafting is an extremely important industry along the Acadian shores. How do we get integrated into what everybody else is doing? We want some recognition as a package. Crafting is a signature for Nova Scotia that is sometimes ignored,” she said.

Sue Hutchins pointed out that when people think of Nova Scotia they think of the great outdoors. South West Shore Paddlers has created a sea kayaking trail that has not been publicized she said.

Terry Grandy, of the Manor Inn, presented a solution to the problem of tourism. “You folks (tourism department) have abandoned the American market. If there was a vessel leaving Boston every evening arriving in Yarmouth in the morning and it offered free passage, how many people do you think would get on that vessel?”

Lloyd Banfield, executive director of the Tourism Division at the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, summed up the evening by thanking people for their time. “I’ve learned a bunch. I do look forward to working further with folks in the area to make things better and really bringing the potential up for this place.”