New Regions to Help Tourism

Visitors will have an easier time planning Nova Scotia vacations and finding unique experiences thanks to new tourism regions designated in the 2008 Doers and Dreamers Guide and other marketing materials.

"We've used the names that locals use for these regions, so our visitors will have an easier time following directions and getting information on the places they want to visit," said Len Goucher, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "It's a consumer-focused approach that allows us to group experiences by region, such as outdoor adventure on the Fundy Shore or urban experiences in Halifax Metro, and market them to visitors."

The seven regions are:

• Halifax Metro
• South Shore
• Yarmouth and Acadian Shores
• Fundy Shore and Annapolis Valley
• Northumberland Shore
• Cape Breton Island
• Eastern Shore

The 11 existing scenic travelways, such as the Lighthouse Route and the Marine Drive, continue to be the designated routes for visitors to travel and experience Nova Scotia. The travelways are generally secondary highways that follow the province's seacoast.

Previously, the name of each travelway corresponded to the region it ran through, except in Cape Breton. The six regions on the mainland have been rearranged to match geographic terms Nova Scotians use, such as the South Shore.

Some travelways match a region, such as the Marine Drive on the Eastern Shore. Others run through two regions, such as the Evangeline Trail which runs through the Yarmouth and Acadian Shores and the Fundy Shore regions.

Cape Breton Island was, and continues to be, one region with five travelways within it.

The Central Nova Tourism Association recognizes the marketing power of the Bay of Fundy and the area's designation as a tourism region.

"We have a natural wonder of the world right here in our own backyard and a diverse range of Nova Scotia seacoast experiences," said Joyce Mingo, the association's executive director. "It's great that the province is going to draw more attention to these assets. We're pleased with the changes in tourism regions and feel they will benefit our tourism operators."

Designating new tourism regions was recommended in the 2004 Nova Scotia Scenic Travelways and Scenic Drive Evaluation Study. The new regions will be in travel guides and maps and on www.novascotia.com . Regional tourism organizations will also use the new regions in marketing materials.