Cost of living3:59Is Moosejaw the next hot holiday place?
Winnipeg Keith Fowke often leads his family to the south of the vacation border. But with the unpredictability of the continuous rate and the threats of annexation from the president of the United States, Donald Trump, Fowke says he will not step on the country this year.
On the other hand, he is planning a family trip, possibly to Royal Tyrrell Museum, also known as the Dinosaur Museum, in Drumheller, Alta.
“You know, go to road number 1, that’s something very Canadian. Cost of living.
“We are going to spend our dollars in Canada where, you know, people could be having difficult economic times and we want to put our dollars where they can help Canadians.”
Fowke is not the only one. The last months have shown a drastic fall in Canadian trips through the border, either for business or pleasure. And many in the national tourism industry, even in Fowke’s hometown, say that some of the least obvious places, including small peoples, could benefit more.
“I think that both in Canada and the United States, when they are thinking of traveling to Canadian cities, they often think of MTV: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver,” said Tyler Walsh, Marketing director of Winnipeg economic development, including tourism.
“And they are cities like Winnipeg that I think they have to work a little harder, and perhaps be a little more creative, to really have an impact.”
Canadians ‘are afraid to go to the United States’
Christine Chettiar directs a bed and breakfast in Bathurst, NB, which can accommodate about 30 people at the same time. She says that she is currently fully reserved for summer, which usually does not happen until the end of August.
The Canadians “are afraid to go to the United States,” he said bluntly. “I have some customers who … They say: ‘Well, you know, we are not going to travel to the United States’ because … they listen to the news that could lock you.”
The reports of the control points that are being installed along the border between the United States and Canada, and the history of a Canadian of being arrested for 11 days by American immigration, have fueled further travel fears.
Chettiar herself filed what would have been a regular trip to see friends in Miami. The Trump factor, he says, is affecting where people on both sides of the border plan to stay.
“I think it’s a lunatic,” he said. “We are very, very pleasant people and we have good friends there. We have family there, so they come to visit us instead.”
Wayne Smith, a tourism professor at the Metropolitan University of Toronto, says that people are making change in cross -border relationships to look for something a little more out of the ordinary this summer.
“You can go to Toronto at any time, you can go to Vancouver at any time, but you’re not going to go, you know, Wawa [in northern Ontario]. AND [those that do are] Getting a very different experience, “he said.
Beyond MTV (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver)
Several cities are calibrating their advertising campaigns to take advantage.
Take winnipeg, which describes himself as “the average child of Canada” In a new tourist campaign. It even includes a pet called Winnie Fred, which has the shape of city limits, which appears in the advertising fences.
“There is a bit of wink and assent and obviously a sense of humor with all this we are very excited,” Walsh said.
The recent Tourism and Labrador Tourism announcements present expected images such as icebergs, but also focus on the residents of the small city of the province with more likely to receive tourist dollars.
The plan seems to be working. Marine Atlantic, the ferry service that takes visitors to the west coast of Newfoundland, said Cost of living It has 7,000 more reservations compared to this time last year.
Steve Crocker, the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation of the Province, says that it is a “destination of the desire list” for many Canadians, and that, since many of them are reconsidering plans to visit the United States, they are finally making plans to mark it out of their list.
“You are affecting really local companies, moms and pop stores, companies with, you know, two and three employees,” Crocker said. “That is whom you will spend a lot of time supporting if you come to Terranova and Labrador.”
Women from American tourists too
Moose Jaw, Sask., He is also taking a shameless tone in his tourist impulse this year, but presents Mayor James Murdock promoting the city to possible US tourists.
The video presents Mac The Moose – A giant sculpture that at 10.36 meters is recognized as the largest alce in the world – And the nickname of the city as “the most notorious city in Canada”.
That is mainly a reference to their underground tunnels, which have been the focus of many rumors, including one that gangsters like Capone used them for alcohol smuggling during the ban.
Donna Fritzke, city tourism director, says that visits last year contributed $ 134 million to the local economy, with approximately $ 18 million specifically Americans. But he is also seeing a growing interest among Canadians.
“We are really excited, because we have been listening to, people want to stay closer to home and visit, you know, their own backyard.”
Dennis Campbell, CEO of the Ambassatours Gray Line, which performs boat cruises and tourist tours throughout the maritime, says that businesses have increased by 40 percent in comparison compared to last year. The greatest increase is from Canadian tourists, followed by Europeans and then Americans.
Part of that is the favorable exchange rate, due to the weak Canadian dollar at this time. But in recent weeks, he said he had to entertain unusual questions of Americans, although perhaps understandable given the current political climate.
“We have begun to receive the question from several clients who say: ‘Will we be welcome?’ And, of course, the answer is: ‘Yes, of course you will,’ “he said.
“As Canadians, as maritimeters, that is what we are. And we are very, very friendly and hospitable people. It is in our DNA. And so, in challenging times, it is good to see that people maintain their values and continue to be welcoming with our friends and visitors everywhere.”
Keith Fowke in Winnipeg says he is still in the early stages of planning all stops for his summer road trip, but he knows one thing: he will not be just closer to home.
“Now it’s a good time to get out of our rear and go see our local tourist places,” he said.
