Nova Scotia Campgrounds Thrive as Less Border Restrictions Allows More Tourists

ALBERT BRIDGE (N.S.) The campgrounds of Nova Scotia are suddenly hustling and bustling as more relaxed border restrictions allow more tourists to book and arrive in campsites.

August long weekend served as a benchmark for industry performance now that things are more open.

Darrell Bernard, co-owner of Kluskap Ridge Campground, Englishtown in Nova Scotia expresses her joy as his site gets fully booked.

He said that filling up to capacity over the long weekend was an opportunity to make up for the lost money.

Bernard stated that most campers are coming from Ontario, New Brunswick, and Quebec. They also have bookings from Americans

Lee Fraser, the owner of Live Life in Tents located in Margaree states, “You know what? Everything around here in rural Cape Breton is quite busy.” “The traffic has picked up.”

He says that they are at or close to capacity, but he would like to share the success with other accommodation and businesses along the Cabot Trail.

“A lot of businesses that we deal with, that we send people to, were feeling the hit,” Fraser said. “So, hopefully, they — everybody — gets a slice of the pie this year,” Fraser said.

The Department of Lands and Forests of Nova Scotia is responsible for managing provincial park campgrounds.

The department’s spokesperson mentioned that camper nights rose by 36% in June compared to the same period in 2019, which was before the pandemic.

Camper nights in July were three percent higher than two years ago.

Bernard suggests that anyone who plans to camp for the remainder of the summer should book at least two weeks in advance.