Neil MacKenzie in the Y95 Studios in 2019.

The summer tourism season is starting to wind down.

Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association Executive Director Neil Mackenzie is now looking back on the summer season.

He says after two years of pandemic restrictions, we’re on the right track rebuilding tourism.

“We’re trying to get back to 2018 numbers. For us, 2019 was the first year that we didn’t have the service to the US with the CAT. We are getting really close to that, within five to eight percent below 2018 numbers but a good signal to me is that we are certainly exceeding the 2019 numbers.”

He says operators and businesses have been able to start building back on pandemic losses.

Mackenzie adds considering the pandemic and three years without service, the CAT ferry’s return has been very well received.

He discussed how the past three seasons have affected tourism going forward.

“2019 was a challenge because we didn’t have the ferry and then with 2020 and 2021 all that happened with travel and restrictions around the pandemic really did damage the travel industry, consumer confidence and lots of things that will be built back, but are building back slowly.”