Carbonear hopes to hook tourists in Hogtown

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Carbonear is buying billboard space in Toronto again this year in the hope of attracting tourists from the mainland.
The news came during the June 25 council meeting when councillor Malcolm Seymour reported on the activities of the recreation, special events, culture and tourism committee, which he chairs.
Seymour moved that the Town purchase two billboard commercials and a full-page ad in the monthly periodical Canada Travel and Lifestyle for the price of $4,500 plus HST. The motion was seconded by Deputy Mayor Sam Slade.
The billboards that will show the advertisement are located in Toronto. Carbonear took out one such billboard ad last year, and this year was offered an additional ad for the same price.
Mayor Frank Butt asked if there are any statistics on how the town is benefiting from the advertisements.
Seymour said the Town’s economic development and tourism officer, Kerri Abbott, has statistics, but she was absent from the meeting. However, Seymour, added, the statistics are very good. He said the advertisements were well done, and his committee members look forward to having them again. “It’s great for our visitors, tourism, and everything, so hopefully we can keep it,” Seymour said.
“It was felt that we’ve got a lot of people trying to stay within Canada,” said Chief Administrative Officer Cynthia Davis, “and if visitors are coming to Newfoundland, at least Carbonear would be visible because it would be on some of these billboards and in this magazine. So, the hope was that, if they came to Newfoundland, they’d make a point of wanting to come see Carbonear because they had seen some of these ads.”
Butt allowed he was confident he would run into somebody who had seen the advertisement.
The motion to approve the purchase passed unanimously.