PEI celebrates 5th anniversary of Confederation Bridge

The Confederation Bridge has been a bridge to the world for Prince Edward Island.

INDEPTH: Confederation Bridge ... 5 years later

Last year, 1,200,000 tourists came to PEI for its white sand and gentle ocean surf. That's a 60 per cent increase in visitors since the bridge opened five years ago, connecting the island to mainland New Brunswick.

And the bridge doesn't only mean more visitors; it also means visitors are staying longer, says Frank Butler, PEI's deputy tourism minister.

"People are getting up Sunday morning and they're having that golf game Sunday morning, and they're probably having the lobster supper Sunday afternoon, and then sometime in the evening they're driving back to Moncton or to Halifax."

Local businesses are raking in the cash. Tourist spending has doubled over the past five years.

Sales of waterfront homes have also doubled, but prices are still only a third of what they are in the rest of the Maritimes.

"Everyone wants to be on the water, or very near the water ... and (that's) getting much harder to do because obviously they're not making any more waterfront," says realtor Wayne Walsh.