MLA questions tourism's safety message given high COVID case counts

MLA Hal Perry is wondering if P.E.I. has an alternative tourism marketing strategy given the rate at which Islanders are being infected with COVID.

The tourism strategy, launched earlier this month, emphasizes P.E.I. as a safe place to visit, though it does not mention the pandemic specifically.

"With P.E.I. now being second in the country for COVID cases per capita, that's not going to work, minister," Perry said to Tourism Minister Matt MacKay during question period Tuesday.

"I wouldn't stand up and brag about being the second-to-worst in the country right now."

According to CBC's COVID case counter, among the provinces P.E.I. is second only to Newfoundland and Labrador in new cases per capita. In the last seven days there were 467 cases daily per 100,000 population. The national average was 90.6.

Testing has been reduced across the country in recent weeks along with lowering restrictions, and it is likely many new cases are not being counted. Comparisons between provinces are particularly difficult, because testing regimes vary from one jurisdiction to another.

MacKay responded the province would be sticking with its strategy.

"I wish you'd be supportive of it instead of trying to scare people off," he said.

"There's been a lot of work come into this and over the last two-and-a-half years, Prince Edward Island has done a phenomenal job navigating COVID. And yes, certainly we're going through a time right now, but it's not going to affect this tourism one bit."

Perry also asked about flights out of Charlottetown Airport.

In February, Swoop announced it would fly out of Charlottetown to Toronto three times a week and to Hamilton four times a week starting in May. That schedule has since been adjusted to twice a week, with the more frequent flights coming for Toronto in June and Hamilton in mid-June.

"Another objective within [the Tourism] Department was to protect new and existing air routes, specifically from Ontario," said Perry.

"Can we expect more flight routes to be cancelled, and what are you doing to secure them?"

MacKay said as summer gets closer, and more bookings start to come in, he expects airlines will keep flight options for visitors open.