Advertisement
Canada markets open in 5 hours 12 minutes
  • S&P/TSX

    21,837.18
    -12.02 (-0.06%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,149.42
    +32.33 (+0.63%)
     
  • DOW

    38,790.43
    +75.63 (+0.20%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7367
    -0.0022 (-0.30%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.50
    -0.22 (-0.27%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    87,190.54
    -5,010.77 (-5.43%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,156.10
    -8.20 (-0.38%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,024.74
    -14.58 (-0.72%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.3400
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     
  • NASDAQ futures

    18,168.50
    -63.00 (-0.35%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    14.47
    +0.14 (+0.98%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,725.14
    +2.59 (+0.03%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,003.60
    +263.20 (+0.66%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6789
    -0.0003 (-0.04%)
     

Businesses eye busy tourism weekend ahead in Halifax

Halifax tourism professionals are gearing up for a busy triple threat of a weekend.

Between the Atlantic Film Festival, Davis Cup tennis event and the Word on the Street Festival, hotels and restaurants will be jammed as thousands pour in to attend the events, according to Ross Jefferson of Destination Halifax.

"The summer has been fantastic," he said.

More money coming in

Destination Halifax is an organization that promotes Halifax and tracks tourism numbers.

Jefferson speculates the return of the Yarmouth ferry and the low Canadian dollar may be helping. No doubt, he said, the industry has grown.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It's about a $115-million extra being spent in Halifax as compared to three years ago," he said.

Hotels filling up

The eight-day Atlantic Film Festival brings many film lovers to the peninsula, festival director Wayne Carter said.

"We actually have guests in three different hotels this year," he said. "I don't think that's ever happened for us before. Hotels are jammed this year."

A quick check of Booking.com shows on Friday night in downtown Halifax, only one hotel has rooms to rent; the Halifax Marriott at $399.

"We have over 90 per cent occupancy for the whole summer," Jefferson said. "You can still get a room if you dig and look."

All of this has people in tourism smiling, but if you need a hotel room in downtown Halifax Friday night, you might want to think of couch surfing instead.