Meet the P.E.I. woman putting the province in the spotlight for tourism campaign

Emma MacKinnon has spent most of the summer exploring Prince Edward Island as a tourist would — but she isn't one. 

MacKinnon is part of a P.E.I. tourism campaign — called Activate our Island — hoping to highlight some of the Island's attractions, and give publicity to local businesses and tourism operators affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

"I get to go out and try different activities all over the Island, which gets me to meet a lot of different Islanders and try lots of different activities to kind of get to encourage Islanders to get out," MacKinnon said. 

"I get to see different tourism operators, chat with them and kind of promote their businesses and just, you know, show Islanders that there's so much to do and see here. We don't really need to go off the Island to experience amazing things."

MacKinnon has been engaging with Islanders through social media, asking about their favourite attractions and where she should visit.

She said one of the memorable experiences she's had so far is being on a tour boat, the Fiddling Fisherman, which is run and captained by P.E.I. fiddler J.J. Chaisson.

"That was quite a unique experience. It felt very P.E.I. and they were so lovely up there." 

Another memorable moment was paddleboarding with a goat at Beach Goats. 

"They have a ton of goats and you take them out on a paddleboard. I got to go paddleboarding with a baby goat, which I never thought I would say. It was such a unique and crazy, amazing experience," she said.

She loves her job because it gives her the opportunity to showcase P.E.I., MacKinnon said.

"It shows people that we are so unique and we're so lucky to live here, and I just love being able to be the voice for that," she said.

"I am just so grateful that this opportunity kind of came about for me and it's been so wonderful so far. It's really great getting out there and meeting the people who make P.E.I. what it is." 

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