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Ontario’s minister responsible for tourism is vowing to do what she can to help area tourist outfitters.
Lisa MacLeod says she’s hoping for a strong season, noting the province is focusing on a “hyper-local” tourism campaign this summer and will have some funding to help promote all regions of Ontario.
She is encouraging people to visit nearby attractions, lodges and communities when things begin to open up again.
There are reports the Canada-U.S. border will be closed to non-essential travel for another month until June 21.
However, MacLeod says after the stay-at-home order ends on June 2, she expects things will start to pick up.
“Then once their lifted, and warmer weather, and more vaccines are in peoples arms, the case counts are lower, we’ll be able to safely start to re-explore.”
MacLeod stresses, “We need the restrictions right now, the next couple of weeks, otherwise we’re going to encounter a fourth wave and if so we would not get a summer season out of tourism. So right now the best case scenario for us is a couple of more weeks of restrictions.”
She notes it’s too early to say what our tourism season is going to look like right now.
(With Files From Tim Davidson: Kenora)
