COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Tourism Industry Resource Page

Here for
Cape Breton’s
Tourism Industry

Official Tourism Resource & Information for the Coronavirus Disease
(COVID-19) Pandemic

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Tourism Industry Resource Page

Last updated: June 17, 2020.

The impact of COVID-19 has already had a significant loss in tourism revenues and we estimate that, with the Cape Breton Island tourism industry essentially shutting down from March 16 to the middle of June, the loss of direct tourism revenues will be in the vicinity of $95 million, plus spinoffs.

To assist the industry at this difficult time, we have compiled a list of resources and will continue to add updates to provide a portal that you may consult for the latest information.

The Current Situation

COVID-19 is an illness caused by a coronavirus. Human coronaviruses are common and are typically associated with mild illnesses, similar to the common cold. Symptoms of human coronaviruses may be very mild or more serious such as: fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus.

Nova Scotia has declared a state of emergency.
Gatherings will be limited to ten people without physical distancing. People in a group are not required to be exclusive but they are strongly encouraged to maintain a consistent group. This is especially important for Nova Scotians who are more at risk of complications from COVID-19. This change replaces the concept of family household bubbles.

Gatherings of up to 50 will now be allowed but people must observe physical distancing of two metres or six feet. The larger gathering limit of 50 applies to social events, faith gatherings, sports and physical activity, weddings and funerals, and arts and culture events like theatre performances, dance recitals, festivals and concerts.

Police are authorized to enforce orders under the Health Protection Act related to self-isolation and social distancing, and can issue summary offence tickets for people who are not adhering to those orders. Anyone who has travelled outside the province will need to self-isolate for 14 days. There will be controls enforced at the borders of the province to restrict travel.

Please note: The Destination Cape Breton office reopened on Monday, June 8, 2020.

Resources:

Government of Canada: COVID-19 Information Government of Nova Scotia: COVID-19 Information Social Distancing Information Destination Canada COVID-19 Updates Tourism Nova Scotia COVID-19 Update NS Cases Data Visualization

Getting Ready to Reopen

As operators begin to reopen, we would like to provide some resources with guidelines that may help.

Destination Cape Breton hosted our Reopening Strategy Webinar on June 11, 2020, which included some next steps for tourism operators, an overview of our Reopening strategy and some Q&A. If you were unable to attend the webinar, please feel free to review it at the link below.

WATCH NOW

Update Your Listings

We recommend updating your business, package/experience, and event listings on novascotia.com (which feeds to visitcapebreton.com) to communicate any operational changes related to COVID-19, to help visitors with their trip planning. For more information click here.

You should update your own website and social channels as well.

Resources:

Preparing to Reopen Nova Scotia Tourism HR Recovery Toolkit Hotel Association of Canada Stay Safe Cleaning Standards Restaurants Canada & Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia Recovery Guide Campground Association of Nova Scotia Reopening Guide TIANS Safety & Prevention Measures

How is this affecting the Cape Breton Island Tourism Industry

Food Services

As of Thursday, March 19, restaurants were restricted to take-out and delivery orders only. All drinking establishments, winery, and distillery tasting rooms and craft taprooms were told to close (private liquor stores can operate, and craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries can still sell their products from their storefronts).

UPDATE: The province has released that these establishments will be able to reopen if they are ready and choose to do so on June 5, 2020.

Parks Canada

Starting on June 1, 2020, Parks Canada places on Cape Breton Island, and Canso will begin to offer limited access and services. What’s open on our Parks Canada sites starting June 1? Learn More

Starting on June 22, Parks will gradually reopen camping facilities starting with select self-registration camping areas with limited capacity. Additional camping will reopen in phases, at reduced occupancy, throughout June and July. Visitors are required to have a reservation in order to camp at a Parks Canada place. Parks Canada recognizes being in nature provides important physical and mental health benefits. Going outdoors, including camping overnight, is a great way to maintain health and wellness, so long as everyone follows physical distancing practices.

Visitors should note that there are limited washroom facilities available in select areas. For more information on camping this season, please click here to learn more.

Group activities and public events are suspended until further notice. For current pass holders, Parks Canada will automatically extend the end date of Discovery Passes for the full duration of the suspended period.

To learn more about visiting Parks Canada locations during COVID-19 click here or see the FAQ link below.

Events and Conferences

We don’t know the full impact this outbreak will have on the 2020 tourism season on the Island, but it has already had a significant effect:

The Team Japan training camp that was to take place in Port Hawkesbury in advance of the IIHF Women’s World Cup has been postponed to 2021;
Science Atlantic conferences and Psychology of Language Learning conference at Cape Breton University have been cancelled;
The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities has cancelled it’s spring conference which was scheduled for May in Sydney;
The cruise season has been delayed until October 31, 2020;
The Vince Ryan Memorial Hockey Tournament and the Wallace Bernard Memorial Native Youth Hockey Tournament have been cancelled;
The Canadian National Darts Championships, both Youth and Adults, have been cancelled;
The Cabot Trail Relay has been cancelled for the first time in history;
Granville Green Concert Series has been cancelled for this year;
Senior Little League Canadian Championships have been cancelled;
National Youth Track and Field Championships have been cancelled;
Marine Atlantic Argentia-North Sydney route has been cancelled for the summer season;
Celtic Colours International Festival will be held online only for 2020; and
Bookings are being effected.