Southwestern NS Looks For Tourism Boost

A committee is being set up by the Dexter government to help promote tourism in southwestern Nova Scotia. Declining tourism has been a hot topic in the region since the province cut funding to the Yarmouth to Maine ferry service, resulting in the end of the service in late 2009. Speaking in Yarmouth this morning, tourism minister Percy Paris says the new committee, chaired by Mayor Pam Mood, will include local community, tourism and business leaders. He also says the province is renewing its efforts to find an operator to run a new ferry service. Yarmouth Liberal MLA Zach Churchill says this should have been done three years ago, not during the lead-up to an election campaign. Last month, Paris said bids by two potential ferry operators were rejected because they did not meet the criteria for a viable operation.