Tourism Stats

NS: Province releases latest tourism stats
By Staff, Transcontinental Media

Source: The Daily Business Buzz, July 21, 2010

[HALIFAX, NS] — The provincial government recently released its latest tourism industry figures, revealing a rise in visitor numbers.

Nova Scotia reportedly welcomed 614,100 visitors between January and May, up four per cent compared to the same time last year.

The province experienced a decrease of three per cent during the month of May, a slight drop compared to 2009.

Visits to novascotia.com during May increased by 21 per cent compared to last year, reflecting increased marketing efforts in key markets.

Room nights sold between January and May were up two per cent across the province compared to the same time period in 2009. Room nights sold in May remained unchanged.

Between January and May, domestic travel showed a growth of four per cent. Visits from Ontario were up five per cent and visitors from Atlantic Canada and Quebec increased by six per cent in each market compared to this time last year. Visits from Western Canada were down 19 per cent.

Visitors from the United States from January to May also increased by four per cent compared to last year, while overseas visitors were down by four per cent. Visitors from the United Kingdom are down slightly, with a two per cent decrease.

The number of people traveling to Nova Scotia by road during the first five months of the year grew by seven per cent. Air travel decreased by four per cent in the same period.