Tourism officials hope to draw visitors with promise of "an experience shaped by the sea"

The topic was the subject of a presentation to council Tuesday evening by Julie Grandy, a tourism development officer with the South West Shore Development Authority, who was on hand to talk about Yarmouth and Acadian Shores, one of Nova Scotia’s new designated tourism regions.

Addressing Argyle council during its regular monthly meeting, Grandy went over some marketing initiatives designed to promote the region, including examples of advertisements highlighting what the region has to offer.

The main theme of the Yarmouth and Acadian Shores brand is “An experience shaped by the sea” and among the focal points of the marketing effort is the region’s seafood and the dining opportunities that await visitors.

Such opportunities should be more readily available in southwestern Nova Scotia, said Argyle Deputy Warden Robert Amirault, who, during a discussion following Grandy’s presentation, recalled travelling to New England and seeing plenty of areas serving lobster dinners and the like.

“It’s definitely something that’s missing,” Grandy acknowledged.

She indicated during Tuesday’s meeting that efforts will be directed at trying to develop the region’s potential with regard to seafood and the dining experience. The matter is to be discussed with restaurants and people in the seafood industry.

As part of her Feb. 12 talk to Argyle council, Grandy brought along examples of advertisements highlighting not only the region’s seafood but also its artistic community and its golf season.

A major component of the Yarmouth and Acadian Shores brand is the region’s Acadian culture and heritage, although Grandy noted that the goal is to promote the entire region, including both Acadian and non-Acadian areas.

“We wanted to balance it,” she said.

Such a regional approach to marketing makes sense, given that tourists who come to this end of Nova Scotia tend to want to visit different places and see and experience different things within the region, she said.

And while the hope among tourism people is to see some progress in the fairly short term, they also are looking ahead, notably to what officials have said the Yarmouth area needs – a major attraction, or “star generator,” that will draw visitors to this area.

The idea is that this attraction would fit in with the theme of “An experience shaped by the sea.”