Slow start to tourism season on Halifax waterfront

Despite the upcoming long weekend, some businesses on the Halifax waterfront are seeing a slow start to the tourism season.

Some businesses on the Halifax boardwalk are still closed ahead of the May long weekend as the city’s waterfront gets off to a slow start to the tourism season.

The Downtown Halifax Business Commission says foot traffic has been steady, but mainly from locals and conventions hosted in the city.

“April is a huge convention month and May is looking like that as well, so we’re seeing it with those kinds of visitors,” said Paul MacKinnon, CEO of the commission.

While many storefronts are still preparing for the season, MacKinnon said businesses are beginning to set up patios and expect things to pick up once more tourists arrive.

“Summer really is right around the corner, so we’ll see a lot of those trappings of tourism soon,” he said.

Some of the city’s tour boats remain tied up near the waterfront. Some tour operators say there has been growing interest, especially local residents.

“Spring is more local than it was last year, the advanced bookings are, believe it or not, more Americans. They’re booking very nicely,” said Dennis Campbell with Ambassatours Gray Line.

“I’m hearing a lot of optimism around this season,” said MacKinnon. “Canadians may be feeling a little less comfortable travelling to the U.S. so maybe more western Canadians will be coming to Nova Scotia, same thing with Europeans. I mean, there’s more and more direct flights.”

While Ambassatours Gray Line has noticed a few businesses closed in downtown, it has not dampened their optimism.

“There’s a lot of businesses that gear up this time of year and may is not the month they really open, a lot of the seasonal especially the ones along the waterfront kind of really get going in June,” Campbell said.

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