ARICHAT - While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a big bite out of the bottom line for Cape Breton's tourism industry - and, by extension, the island's economy - the umbrella group overseeing Cape Breton's accommodations and visitor sector isn't limiting itself to temporary setbacks.

During a presentation to the April meeting of Richmond Municipal Council's Committee of the Whole in Arichat, the chief executive officer of Destination Cape Breton Association (DCBA), Terry Smith, pointed out that the organization has already mapped out a 10-year tourism growth strategy that looks well beyond the current restrictions placed on the sector by the provincial government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Noting that "substantial growth" was seen in visitation to Cape Breton's national parks and the booking of rooms around the island between 2009 and 2019, with the economic value of October's Celtic Colours International Festival tripling during the same time period, Smith declared that there is no reason the tourism industry should not anticipate similar growth when border restrictions are loosened and gathering limits increase in the weeks, months and years to come. 

With this in mind, Smith and his DCBA colleagues knew they had to develop a long-term strategy focusing on such pillars as cultural experiences, year-round outdoor events, and experiential tourism. 

"We didn't just want to rest on our laurels and be happy with where we were," he told Richmond councillors at the county's municipal building in Arichat. "We wanted to see how we can take the industry to the next level, and that's why we got to work on the new 10-year strategy."