Vancouver Island residents Janice Baikie and Joe Reid chose to travel through the Maritimes from Halifax to Toronto, stopping in Fredericton along the way. Reid said they chose the East Coast to remain north of the border. “We didn’t want to go to the States, we wanted to stay inside and support Canada,” he said. They’re not the only ones. Anna-Marie Weir, the owner and operator of Roads to Sea Tours, said she’s seeing a 38 per cent increase in business this year and while that includes more out-of-province travellers, she said a majority of her business is coming from American visitors. “Letting me know that when they get on tour, they are here to support Canada and to see Canada,” she said. According to the provincial government, tourism spending is up one per cent up to June. But U.S. spending in the province has increased 6.8 per cent, totalling $157 million. The number of Americans staying overnight has also increased 4.7 per cent. “We’re trying really our best together to promote the province, and I think people are starting to get the message and come here,” New Brunswick Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Isabelle Thériault said. The rise in tourism is noticeable for Aspen Bear, owner of Wolastoq Adventures Inc. She sells paddling tours and rents kayaks and paddleboards. “This season has been amazing, we’ve hosted about approximately 2,000 guests so far this season, and the growth since we started in 2023 has been significant,” she said. Weir said gas prices are also contributing to an increase in local tourism business. “We have the highest tides in the Bay of Fundy, and that’s a massive draw. And that’s why people are coming to take my tours to see that tidal exchange,” she said. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
