(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) Canada's tourism industry strives to revive and survive "there are reasons for hope"
China News Service, Toronto, August 9th. Title: Canadian tourism industry is striving to revive and survive "there are reasons for hope"
China News Agency reporter Yu Ruidong
With the relief of the new crown epidemic and the gradual restart of the economy, the Canadian tourism industry is striving to seize the few opportunities for recovery left this year.
On the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, a well-known scenic spot on the Canada-US border, the deserted scene that began more than 4 months ago is sweeping away, and the popularity has returned.
On July 29, local time, tourists watched the spectacular scenery of the waterfalls on the Canadian side of the famous attraction Niagara Falls at the junction of Canada and the United States. As the economy gradually restarts, Niagara's tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the new crown epidemic, is ushering in a recovery. Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Ruidong
However, tourism practitioners here have recently expressed their expectation for tourists to return to reporters from China News Service, and they have constantly emphasized the word "safety". At the entrances of various scenic spots and entertainment projects, the temperature of tourists is measured, the number of people is limited, and people are required to wear masks.
In late July, a photo showing the apparent contrast in the number of passengers on cruise ships between Canada and the United States caught the attention of the Canadian media and social networks, and was regarded by public opinion as reflecting the difference in the anti-epidemic efforts between the two countries.
At present, the Canadian side of the waterfall has entered the third stage of Ontario's economic restart. A cruise ship with a full capacity of 700 people is allowed to accommodate 15% of the passenger capacity. On the US side, a cruise ship with a full capacity of 500 people is allowed to accommodate 250 people.
Mory DiMaurizio, vice president and general manager of the Niagara Trumpeter Cruise Company, said that before the epidemic, the average daily number of tourists was about 25,000, but now it is only about 4,000 or 5,000. The company needs to "be cautious at all times."
DeMolly and her partner boarded the ship in the morning from Longsout, a small town in Ontario, and became the only passengers on board besides reporters. Although she has visited Niagara many times, but the first time she took a cruise, she said that there are not many people on the boat and it is very enjoyable. The epidemic prevention measures are also reassuring.
On July 29th, local time, tourists experienced the zip line on the Canadian side of the famous attraction Niagara Falls at the junction of Canada and the United States. Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Ruidong
On the American cruise ship, nearly a hundred tourists are crowding on the deck to take pictures. In the afternoon, the number of passengers on the Canadian cruise ship increased a lot, but still significantly fewer than the US cruise passengers.
"The epidemic is not over." Joel Noden, the marketing director of Niagara Falls hotel and entertainment industry developer HOCO, said with a smile. The flow of people must be properly controlled to ensure that tourists can play safely. "So you don't need to queue up to play now." . The Clifton Hill Amusement District managed by the company has set up hundreds of disinfection hand sanitizers for tourists.
"Wild Amusement" marketing manager Lindsay Dicosimo (Lindsay Dicosimo) said that the zip line and other projects it operates can receive tens of thousands of tourists each year when normal, and international tourists account for a large proportion. The customs seal has not been lifted, and it can only rely on domestic customers. She said that the scenic spots strictly observe various epidemic prevention measures and are confident that people can have fun while ensuring the safety of epidemic prevention.
In the southern city of Sherbrooke in Quebec, the tourism industry is ushering in a busy summer. William Hogg, the representative of tourism trade at Sherbrooke Tourism Bureau, said that the losses of the local tourism industry this year are still difficult to estimate. Business tourism has been completely frozen under the epidemic, but leisure tourism is quite "lucky" this summer.
Sherbrooke is not a big city, but there is no shortage of tourist attractions. The local has spent more than ten years creating nearly 20 giant outdoor murals that reproduce the history and customs in various places in the city, and use digital technology to enable visitors to see the "resurrection" scene on their mobile phones in front of the murals. The multimedia lighting scenes set up in the forest canyon, as well as cruise ships, retro trains, blue lavender farms, winery tours, etc., are all local attractions for tourists.
Hogg said that Sherbrooke’s mountains, lakes, and open spaces full of idyllic colors have recently attracted many tourists from Montreal and Quebec City to vacation here, making local hotels almost full, and some attractions have broken the record for visitor numbers.
He said that in addition to the federal government’s wage subsidies for small business owners and emergency relief payments for the unemployed, the Quebec government also provides programs such as "vacation packages" and "scenic passports" that are popular in the local tourism industry. Funding. But if the border closure measures continue, I hope that government funding can also be extended.
Hogg said that in the past, most of the autumn visitors came from the United States and Europe. The local tourism industry needs to continue to be creative and attract more Canadian tourists this fall.
On July 29, local time, Canadian tourists took a boat to visit the famous attraction Niagara Falls at the junction of Canada and the United States. Photo by China News Agency reporter Yu Ruidong
The epidemic caused the Canadian tourism industry to "fuse" almost all lines in the first half of this year. Niagara Falls Tourism Bureau President and CEO Janice Thomson (Janice Thomson) said that under normal circumstances, the output value of Niagara Falls tourism is 2.4 billion Canadian dollars. But in March and April, the tourism economy fell by 95%. Among the 40,000 local tourism and related employees, 95% are unemployed due to the epidemic. Fortunately, they are gradually returning to their jobs.
"Niagara Falls is one of Canada's top tourist attractions," Thomson said. "We are restarting very slowly and safely as planned." In view of the current situation, the local tourism industry is pushing tourists to enjoy and discover the leisure sightseeing experience here in greater depth. .
She and her local counterparts said that in time, international tourists will return to the waterfall. Among them, Chinese tourists are very important to Niagara, and I hope to see guests from China again soon. But at this stage, we can only rely on Canadian tourists.
The Canadian Tourism Board announced earlier that it would invest 30 million Canadian dollars in various places in the next one and a half years to help revive the tourism industry. The chairman of the board of directors Ben Cowan-Dewar (Ben Cowan-Dewar) stated in a statement to his peers on August 7 that his team has quickly changed the 2020 market plan, which was originally focused on the international market, to formulate The domestic market recovery plan, "we have reason to hope."
The dine-in service at the Rock Table House restaurant in the Niagara Falls Visitor Center has just resumed. The gray-haired waitress Kim wears a mask and goggles to serve the diners. "You can see my smile when you see my eyes, right?" Kim asked the reporter with a smile.
The big waterfall outside the window, "Thunder God's Water" rushes and roars in summer, it seems that the world is yellow. (Finish)