With tourism season just around the corner, one organization on the Fundy Coast is reassuring Americans they are welcome here in Nova Scotia despite political tension between our two countries.

Doug Ralph with Digby Area Tourism tells us he reached out after becoming aware of uncertainty among their friends south of the border about how they would be received in our province.

“We have people that, you know, used to live here, were born here and now live in the northeastern United States. They come and visit every year but now they’re seeing we’re booing them at hockey games. They see what they hear in the news.”

In response to their nervousness, he extended an olive branch on Facebook.

“So, we said, ‘hey, let’s clear the air and remind people that there’s a lot of turmoil in the world, but you know, our friends from the United States are always going to be welcome.”

Great response

Ralph says when he put the post on Facebook, he received a huge response from Americans.

“It’s almost like they exhaled and said, ‘You hit the nail on the head’.”

Many, he says, were uncertain but breathed a “sigh of relief” after he made the post.

Ralph hopes with all the attention toward Canada, it almost brings a renewed sense of excitement.

Big tourism numbers

Digby gets a lot of American tourists every year.

Ralph says many come into town through the ferries.

“We’ve got the CAT ferry that is just an hour down the road from us in Yarmouth. So, so many people. They might be going all over the Maritimes, but they enter through Yarmouth and a lot of them come up through New Brunswick and the Fundy Rose that comes over from Saint John.”

He says tourists then enjoy some of the key things Digby has to offer.

“They come get their scallops or go whale watching or want to see all the Maud Lewis, wonderful stuff that we have.”

He says it could actually be an excellent year if trips to the States are getting cancelled and Nova Scotians are staying close to home.

“We know the American dollar is doing much better than ours, so it’s actually a great time for Americans to come visit, so it can actually work out in our favor.”

Tariffs are in effect…

Twenty-five per cent tariffs have now been put in place on Canadian goods being imported into the United States.

Ralph says it’s still unclear what might happen, but it is scary especially for southwest Nova Scotia considering the scallop and lumber industries.

“Those industries are hurting. We don’t quite know what that’s going to do to seafood prices…to the economy.”

Ralph says we have been through hard times before and we will get through it again.