Promoting winter events in the North Bay area has been a challenge due to the mild conditions in 2023–24.
Tanya Bedard, Tourism North Bay executive director, says they have had to change directions with the weather impacting popular tourist activities such as snowmobiling and ice fishing.
"We have had to pivot, it is not something that we anticipated because usually our campaigns are comprised six to 12 months in advance," said Bedard during the launch of a new Tourism North Bay magazine at Jack Garland Airport on Wednesday.
However, Bedard says the lack of snow and cold opens up other tourism-related options.
"We have postponed our snowmobiling campaigns as far as outreach because we feel it is important to be able to realistically advertise what we do have to offer, and then we have pivoted with other opportunities to be able to talk about the wonderful hiking trails or fat biking, the beautiful sunsets that we have," she said.
Bedard says the lack of cold and snow is impacting many hotels and restaurant operators who rely on winter tourists this time of year.
"It is definitely affecting our local accommodation partners and our restaurants are certainly reliant on snowmobile traffic in the winter months," said Bedard.
"It is unusual for us to be able to see this kind of weather activity and it is certainly impactful. To what degree, only time will be able to tell."
