P.E.I. tourism growing again, but 'definitely an opportunity' for more

A strong spring has pushed P.E.I.'s tourism numbers into positive territory, but the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I. says there is potential to grow more.

TIAPEI is looking for more spending from the provincial government.

"More marketing dollar needs to come from the new government," said association CEO Kevin Mouflier.

"There is definitely an opportunity there and we can only do it with additional marketing dollars to spend effectively on the markets [where] we see the number's growth."

There was a 1.4 per cent increase in total overnight stays on P.E.I. for the year to the end of July, according to the most recent numbers gathered by the provincial government. June and July, the biggest months of the year so far, were flat. The increase comes mostly from double-digit growth in March and April.

A deeper look at where the tourists were coming from shows more volatility than the overall numbers suggest.

Overnight stays from the Island's biggest market, other Maritime provinces, were down — from New Brunswick almost 10 per cent lower. Those losses were made up for by a 6.5 per cent increase from Quebec and 14 per cent growth from provinces west of Ontario.

Mouflier said those numbers suggest a need for more targeted marketing.

"We'll continue to push on that and then we have more money to spend so that we can market more effectively in different provinces," he said.

P.E.I. recorded four record years for tourism in a row from 2014 to 2017. Numbers slipped slightly in 2018.

Mouflier said with tourism businesses contributing close to $70 million in tax revenue to the province, the industry is well worth the investment.

In an email to CBC News, Tourism PEI said it is always evaluating where it might allocate marketing dollars.

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