Attendance jumps 30% this summer at Nova Scotia national parks
Halifax Citadel and Cape Breton Highlands National Park have seen biggest increase in visitors
All national parks and historic sites in Nova Scotia have seen at least a 30 per cent jump in attendance this summer, thanks to this year's free entry.
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site has seen the biggest increase in visitors in the province to date with a 74-per cent jump.
This summer an average of 2,000 people walked through the historical fort each day. There were 65,000 visitors in July alone.
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The influx is in part because locals are taking in the site for the first time, according to Jeff Lansing with Parks Canada.
"In the past, maybe they wouldn't have come, [and] kind of left it more for tourists," he said.
That was the case for Chris Yetman, who was visiting the Citadel with his family for the first time "in a long time."
"When you live in the city you tend to take things for granted because they're always here," he said. "The free pass makes a difference."
Cape Breton camping reservations up 85 per cent
Campgrounds in Nova Scotia are reporting an increase in visitors too.
Reservations for camping at Cape Breton Highlands National Park rose 85 per cent.
Lansing said some tourists are choosing the East Coast to avoid major crowds flooding into Alberta's popular national parks.
In comparison, attendance at Alberta's Banff National Park has only increased by about five per cent this year.
"We've been really lucky because our parks and historic sites have the capacity to welcome more visitors," Lansing said.
Lansing said there haven't been any issues related to the swell of new visitors into Nova Scotia's parks and historic sites.
To be certain, he said extra staff were hired this year to help with everything from increased programming to cleaning bathrooms.
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