While tourism in many areas is improving, but still on the rebound from the pandemic, the Quinte region is really booming.
That, according to Dug Stevenson, the Executive Director of the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board.
He says people really discovered the Quinte region during the pandemic because of travel restrictions but the current chaos at airports, particularly Pearson, continues to keep people looking for alternatives to destinations that require flying.
“Our 23 golf courses, our 33 conservation areas, our 1,200 km of shoreline. These are all pretty terrific assets, right? That maybe we take for granted but, people are coming here and saying, oh my gosh, this is amazing.”
Stevenson says tourism had a $300 million impact on the local economy in 2021.
“Somebody staying overnight typically spends, you know, $175 per day. So that’s including their accommodations, going out to eat, picking up some gas, you know, going to a store or two.”
The latest hotel data available is for May which shows a 27% increase in local stayovers compared to May 2021.
“And if May is an indication of what June and July and soon to be August are, that’s just gonna to continue to grow. And it’s really interesting because, when we put that up next to, say, our neighbours in Kingston, we are actually having more growth.”
Stevenson says the return of events is also having a big effect on tourism.
He also adds that despite inflation, this region remains a more affordable option for tourists than larger centres like Toronto, Ottawa or even Kingston.
