Tourism looking up
(yeah, I know I’m a few days late with this one…)
From the Niagara Falls Review:
The Honeymoon Capital is having a better tourism season this year than last, despite the continuing difficulties convincing Americans to take their holidays north of the border, says the president of Niagara Falls Tourism.
“We’re holding our own,” said Wayne Thomson.
“Fortunately, there are enough Ontarians, people from Quebec and other parts of Canada who are offsetting what would be a dismal year otherwise.”
Thomson said so far this year the majority of operators are reporting increased business compared to last summer when both Canada and the United States were smack dab in the middle of one of the worst recessions in decades.
“This last long weekend was exceptional,” said Thomson.
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Bring GO to Niagara Falls, says Region
From the Niagara Falls Review:
Regional council has asked GO Transit to find a way to extend daily train service to Niagara Falls.
Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of GO Transit, is studying a possible expansion of the popular commuter service into Niagara.
GO is looking at four different expansion routes, including one that follows the northern peninsula CN rail line all the way to Niagara Falls.
But GO officials have said that route may require a costly bridge over — or tunnel under — the Welland Canal to avoid ship traffic. GO is also considering an option that would see the train stop in St. Catharines, with travelers boarding buses to continue to the Honeymoon Capital.
But at Thursday’s meeting, regional council approved a staff recommendation to push for train service all the way to Niagara Falls — and beyond, possibly to Fort Erie.
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Tourism gets G20 boost
From the Niagara Falls Review:
With yet another long weekend behind them, some local tourism officials like what they’ve seen from the summer so far.
“Everybody seems to be up slightly (from this time last year),” said Niagara Falls Tourism chairman Wayne Thomson.
“Rates for accommodations are not what they used to be, but I think there’s optimism for the rest of the summer.”
In recent weeks, traffic seemed to be up in the city, while stores and restaurants appear to be recovering from tough economic times, said Thomson.
He said Niagara Falls benefi ted from the G20 summit June 26 and 27, which saw a plethora of Torontonians leave their city, many coming to the Honeymoon Capital for a reprieve.
The White House even confirmed U.S. President Barack Obama’s daughters, Malia and Sasha, along with their grandmother, Marian Robinson, made a visit.
“June was good, better than June of last year,” said Thomson.
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Tourism gets G20 boost
From the Niagara Falls Review:
With yet another long weekend behind them, some local tourism officials like what they’ve seen from the summer so far.
“Everybody seems to be up slightly (from this time last year),” said Niagara Falls Tourism chairman Wayne Thomson.
“Rates for accommodations are not what they used to be, but I think there’s optimism for the rest of the summer.”
In recent weeks, traffic seemed to be up in the city, while stores and restaurants appear to be recovering from tough economic times, said Thomson.
He said Niagara Falls benefi ted from the G20 summit June 26 and 27, which saw a plethora of Torontonians leave their city, many coming to the Honeymoon Capital for a reprieve.
The White House even confirmed U.S. President Barack Obama’s daughters, Malia and Sasha, along with their grandmother, Marian Robinson, made a visit.
“June was good, better than June of last year,” said Thomson.
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- ‘Extremely bleak’ conditions still dog Niagara’s tourism industry From the Niagara Falls Review: The Niagara Parks Commission wasn’t...
- Niagara should be leader in province’s new tourism plan: Thomson From the Niagara Falls Review: Niagara Falls should be a...
- New tourism boss dons ‘the crown jewel’ From the Niagara Falls Review: There’s a new captain at...
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The New Niagara
From enRoute (the Air Canada magazine):
t used to be a trip to Niagara Falls meant all-you–can-eat buffets, wax museums and daredevil attractions. In fact, the Honeymoon Capital of the World was always been a bit more kitsch than class. Until now. Thanks to an infusion of cash and fresh ideas, a more sophisticated Niagara Falls is on the rise.
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Hudak also abandoned tourism
From the Niagara Falls Review:
It’s ironic to hear Ontario Conservative Leader Tim Hudak accuse the Liberal government of “abandoning” tourism in Niagara Falls, but that’s politics.
Hudak and Conservative tourism critic Ted Arnott blasted Liberal Tourism Minster Michael Chan for not visiting Niagara Falls since he became the provincial cabinet minister responsible for the industry in January.
While Hudak met last week with business leaders from Niagara’s industry, Arnott emailed (for at least the third time) a press release saying “McGuinty Liberals abandon Niagara tourism.”
But when it comes to abandoning Niagara, Hudak seems to have a short memory. In 1995, he was part of the Mike Harris government that scrapped plans to move the entire Ministry of Tourism headquarters to Queen Street, Niagara Falls from downtown Toronto.
If the Tories had relocated the ministry office to the Honeymoon Capital from the provincial capital, every tourism minister would have visited Niagara Falls regularly to check in with the bureaucracy staff.
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Niagara Falls Lures Honeymooners Again
From an EU News Network press release:
Economic woes and an episode of the TV comedy “The Office” have lured honeymooners to the U.S. and Canadian sides of Niagara Falls, experts say.
Kate Scaglione, a spokeswoman for the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation, told CNN the number of hits on the wedding section of its Web site went up 83 percent the day after Jim and Pam married on “The Office.”
Some honeymooners have said Niagara lured them because they could avoid the expense of flying. The area has a retro charm, Rebecca Dolgin of TheKnot.com, said.
The Falls have lured newlyweds since the early 19th century when Aaron Burr’s daughter spent her honeymoon there. In the 1950s and 1960s, the region billed itself as “the honeymoon capital of the world.”
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Cheerleaders head over heels in Niagara Falls
From the Niagara Falls Review:
Passports, the economy and cheerleading might not seem to have a lot in common, but they do.
Just ask Nick Nero, organizer of the 26th annual Festival of Lights Cheerleading Championship competition held in Niagara Falls on the weekend.
Teams from the United States, which in past years have brought a lot of business into the honeymoon capital, are staying home.
That’s because many Americans still don’t have passports so they are staying on their side of the border.
“We are down about 40 per cent all because of passports and the economy in the United States,” said Nero. “We just have to bit the bullet this year and hopefully things will pick up again.”
The three-day event, which began on Friday at the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena, is always well attended by teams from the United States, but that trend has been changing. And, with the American and Canadian dollar being so close in value, there is less incentive for Americans to spend there money here, where they once enjoyed a 20 or 30 per cent exchange rate.
“We are just like any other business in Niagara Falls. Everyone is feeling the pinch right now. At one time we were able to book a thousand or 1,200 hotel rooms, but right now it’s probably around five or six hundred,” said Nero.
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