Normally the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board would be going full speed ahead to promote the 2020 tourist season but the COVID-19 crisis has brought that to a grinding halt.
Executive Director Dug Stevenson says they are still working hard behind the scenes so that when they get the green light they are ready to go.
He says they want to be realistic and also optimistic but a lot of this is out of their control.
Stevenson says they will be encouraging their business partners to adapt new policies and procedures to help encourage people to visit the area once this crisis is over.
He says there is a positive when it comes to tourism here in the Bay of Quinte.
Stevenson says this means this area won’t be as hard hit as the international tourist market once people begin to get outside again.
He says eventually things will go back to normal and the Regional Marketing Board will be ready to go.
Stevenson says Greg Klassen who used to run Destination Canada, says there have been three events which impacted tourism; Sept. 11, 2001, the SARS pandemic and the financial crisis of 2008. Stevenson says what happened after those events should give people some hope.
He says they are really going to try to entice those day trip travelers once given the green light to bring people to the region.
Stevenson says once the province gives the okay for operations to start back up again, their website, an advertising campaign and their budget will all be ready to go.
