Beautiful N.S. Not Getting the Attention it Deserves
By ROGER TAYLOR - Business Columnist
EVERYBODY knows Nova Scotia can be a beautiful place to live and visit but the province's tourism sector seems to be struggling despite government's statistics, which suggest things may be on the rebound from last year's dismal performance.
Some of the tourism operators I have been in contact with believe the focus has been too much on advertising and not enough on the product itself.
Willem van den Hoek, operator of That Dutchman's Farm, billed as an authentic Dutch cheese farm in Upper Economy, says something has to be done to make it easier for visitors to see all that is beautiful about Nova Scotia.
As an example of what he is talking about, van den Hoek points out that the stretch of highway between Truro and Amherst doesn't offer one opportunity for a driver to pull over to look at the landscape.
In general, he believes there should be greater attention to beautification in this province. When he visited Europe recently he says he stayed in one or two quaint little villages, not the big cities. Van den Hoek believes there are plenty of people like him who would like to see more of the Nova Scotia countryside.
But more has to be done to make the towns more attractive for people to venture outside of Halifax. For another example, he says, the turnoff for Truro and Halifax isn't very attractive, due to a lack of trees and landscaping.
There is more than just a couple of great beaches in Nova Scotia, van den Hoek says, but it seems to him like visitors are all channelled towards a handful of beaches were everybody is sitting on top of one another.
Why not make it easier for people get to all the great beaches in the province, he asks.
The government seems to be suggesting that occupancy at tourist lodgings in the Annapolis Valley has increased significantly over last year, but it should be noted that last year was a particularly bad year for operators in that part of Nova Scotia.
One bed and breakfast operator in the Digby area says his occupancy rate is down this year, despite the government's stats, even when compared to the poor performance of last year.
The only place that doesn't seem to be hurting is the Halifax area, and this might be an indication of a shift in how the Nova Scotia tourism industry operators.
Rather than driving here, many Americans and other visitors from outside the region are choosing to fly into Halifax and be satisfied with touring around the region's major urban hub. This means the tourism business in Halifax has been steady, if not booming, while the operators in the outlying regions have less to show for their efforts.
But at least someone thinks there is future in the lodging business in Nova Scotia. The owner of the Super 8 motel in Truro already, Holloway Lodging Real Estate Investment Trust on Friday closed the deal to acquire several Maritime hotels from Pacrim International Capital Inc.
Since some of the investors in both companies are the same, it may not exactly be the sign that the Nova Scotia hospitality business is attractive to outside investors, but it could be taken as an indication that investors are not being scared off from investing in the Halifax area.
Holloway Lodging Real Estate Investment Trust plans to spend another $1 million to upgrade the 99-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Halifax. It purchased the hotel for $6 million, including the assumption of a $3.8-million mortgage.
Holloway also acquired the 104-suite Radisson Halifax on Hollis Street for $11.2 million, including the assumption of a $6.4-million mortgage. The Radisson was converted from an office building into an all-suite hotel in 1996.
And that is not all. There seems to be plenty of interest in investing in Halifax's hospitality industry. There are plans for a boutique hotel near the waterfront, and I've heard unconfirmed rumours there may be plans for another new hotel on Barrington Street.
So what is happening to the Nova Scotia tourism business?
While some says there isn't enough marketing, others believe there is plenty of marketing but focused in the wrong direction. Then there are those who believe there is already plenty of marketing and advertising but not enough is being done to make sure Nova Scotia is living up to the hype.
For example, the revelation that Travel and Leisure magazine named Cape Breton the world's fourth-best island travel destination is a bit surprising.
I was born there, I love the place, but I still find it hard to believe even Cape Breton will be able to live up the expectations such a label puts upon it.
There is nothing worse than promising a fascinating place to visit and enjoy, only to fail to deliver the goods when it comes down to the crunch.