YARMOUTH - The film The Lighthouse that was shot in part at the Cape Forchu lighthouse and in a hangar at the Yarmouth International Airport in April has left a lasting impact on the economy of Yarmouth and Acadian Shores.
Nova Scotia tourism indicators for the quarter January to April show significant growth.
At least 130 local jobs were created to facilitate the production, which generated increased demand for accommodations in the area during a time when occupancy is typically low.
Cast and crew ate in local restaurants, purchased local goods and services and explored the area.
Second only to Halifax, the occupancy rate in Yarmouth and Acadian Shores for April was 66 per cent. During late spring, hotels in the area generally have a low occupancy but this year was different. April alone saw a 117 per cent increase in occupancy, according to the figures.
The movie casted famous actors Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. Both have large worldwide fan bases and their presence in the region brought attention to the Cape Forchu lighthouse and its surrounding region.
Many fan sites posted pictures of the movie set on various social media platforms and websites. Since the film was made public there have been over 100,000 pages views on the Cape Forchu lighthouse page on novascotiawebcams.com. The traffic has, in fact, quadrupled.
Neil MacKenzie, executive director for Yarmouth & Acadian Shores Tourism Association, says the movie brought needed economic benefits.
“The production had a huge impact on our region when we really needed it. We’re always looking for ways to grow our shoulder seasons so this production came at the right time,” he said. “I’m impressed by the growth in room nights and pleased that the community was such a great host. Anecdotally, I’ve also heard that both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe really enjoyed their time here.”
Municipality of Yarmouth Warden Leland Anthony says he is happy they were able to facilitate the production.
“I’m really pleased with our staff and partner municipalities that we were able to accommodate the production. It was a lot of work to land this so I’m so pleased it went so well. I couldn’t be happier with the economic impact.”
More about The Lighthouse
To read stories written about The Lighthouse film produced in the Yarmouth area this spring, visit this link and scroll to the bottom.
