The days when a low dollar brought tourists to Canada
Tourism jumped 7 per cent in first half of 1995 and low loonie appeared to be drawing visitors
The dollar was low, but that was a good thing for all the people visiting Canada.
In 1995, the country had seen an uptick in visitors and it was believed the diving loonie had been helping spur that trend.
"The number of people visiting Canada has jumped more than seven per cent for the first half of this year, compared to last year," Denise Harrington reported on Prime Time News on August 16, 1995.
"Hotel operators say business is booming and credit the low Canadian dollar."
'A great bargain in Canada'
Tony Pollard of the Hotel Association of Canada said this was a particular bargain for Canada's closest neighbour.
"Americans are discovering that it's a great bargain in Canada," Pollard told CBC News.
"For example, if you're coming up here from the States and you stay for three days, basically the third day is free because of the value of the dollar."
Not just Americans who saw value
Harrington said it wasn't just Americans who saw the appeal in travelling to a place where their money went further.
"Overseas visitors also like the low Canadian dollar," she said.
Harrington said Statistics Canada would be delving further into the dollar's impact on tourism and releasing the results of a survey on the matter later that year.
