Annapolis/Digby Events

Good day, Kathleen —

Well, we all just got one hour’s less sleep but, on the bright side, Spring is just around the corner. Here in Annapolis Digby, this mild weather gives us a great reason to get a head start on the tourism season. Whether you’re in the business of welcoming visitors to our region, or you’re seeing an otherwise familiar landscape with new eyes, Spring is the season of discovery. Let’s make the most of it!

DIGBY FERRY LIKELY TO PICK UP CAT TRAFFIC
With the termination of the CAT service, bus tour companies are now looking at entering Nova Scotia via the Princess of Acadia. To determine how best to meet this opportunity, and to discover some new ones, Destination Southwest Nova Association is holding an Industry Stakeholder Session this afternoon, at the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM. We urge all local tourism operators and related businesses to attend.

DISCOVER GEMS IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD
The 5th Annual Annapolis Digby Tourism Showcase is a great opportunity for exhibitors to promote their products and services locally. And there’s still time to register as a vendor! For attendees, it’s a chance to experience the diversity of what our area has to offer while enjoying some great shopping. So, on Saturday, March 27, don’t miss this opportunity to support local artisans, retailers and service providers. This year, you can also enjoy presentations on gardening and community beautification.

GETTING A JUMP ON THE COMPETITION
In the Spring of 2009, we launched Golf & Gardens, a tourism initiative focussed primarily on the Halifax marketplace designed to put Annapolis Digby on the map as a mini-break destination, taking full advantage of the early season our region offers. This year, we’re expanding the billboard campaign to include two additional urban markets, doubling the media run, and redesigning the G&G website so that visitors can easily find and click on specific G&G packages.

MAY DAY: FARM MARKETS GEARING UP
There’s a new farm market on our horizon, sprouting up in the lovely seaside village of Hampton! The big kick-off is scheduled for May 21 with plans to offer lots of fresh, local foods. And while we’re on the subject of fresh food, a student lunch program promoting locally sourced produce was launched this week at two Lawrencetown schools.

DON’T MISS THE BIG FACE-OFF
Book your seat now for Social Media Face-Off, a forum to be lead by Terri McCulloch of the Bay of Fundy Tourism Partnership! She’ll be talking about the pros and cons of twitter, facebook and blogging — which is right for you and your business? Terri will help put you on the right social media track.

Speaking of big face-offs, join the entire population of Lawrencetown tonight at the firehall, as the community rallies to be named one of CBC Hockeyville’s Top 12 finalists! And on the weekend, don’t miss an opportunity to see Juno award winning recording artist Morgan Davis in Bear River.

Econ.Dev't Agency News

Good day, Kathleen —

Too often, we take our infrastructure for granted — that is, until we see it diminish. As you’ve read in our 5 Year Investment Strategy, maintaining and improving the region’s infrastructure is key to our success: A reliable infrastructure means increased commerce. And so we begin this week’s newsletter...

TRANSPORTATION IN SW NS: AN UPDATE
As of today, the Princess of Acadia is undergoing maintenance work which will continue until April 5. And in case you missed it in last Tuesday’s Chronicle Herald, here is Denny Morrow’s op-ed piece reinforcing the concept of the ferry route as a marine highway. Speaking of highways, the Provincial and Federal governments have announced a joint investment in roads in our region. And late breaking news: Yarmouth Airport will once again be offering flights to Maine as of March 15. We’ll keep you posted on the results of ACOA’s transportation study which is due to be published in the coming weeks.

TOURISM BENEFITS FROM A STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE
When it comes to tourism in this province, getting to one’s destination is half the battle. Consequently, the condition of our roads is key to sustaining our tourism sector. And on the topic of sustainable tourism, the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association is holding a two-day workshop with the goal of creating new and exciting collaborations between our region’s UNESCO-designated biosphere and local tourism operators. And another reason to keep our heads up: Upper Clements Parks has announced its plans to install zip lines and swinging suspension bridges as part of its $500,000 aerial park development.

HEALTH CARE UPDATE
South West Health will hold a meeting this week in Digby to consult with the public on ways to keep the hospital’s emergency department open all day, every day. We look forward to giving you an update on the results. A step in the right direction: A new site manager has been named for Digby General and will begin work next week.

THE LATEST STATS
From immigration to housing starts, here’s Canada At a Glance for 2009, along with Nova Scotia’s Winter 2010 Scan, which outlines major trends and issues which influence our economic and social environment.

AND THESE GENTLE REMINDERS…
You still have time to register for some great skills development workshops taking place in our region:

Grow Your Business One Employee At a Time
The Turning Point: Enhancing Your Business Skills
And with availability going fast ... How to Develop a Winning Market Strategy for Breakthrough Innovations
Ever wondered how to make better use of your woodlot? Want to invest in one? Don’t miss the Woodlot Owners Conference being held on Saturday! Learn how that humble plot of land can put money in your pocket … reap untold rewards by harvesting the mushrooms and blueberries that naturally grow there.