Traffic up, Green Gables House and cruise numbers boom, in 'relatively strong' tourism year

The final numbers are not yet in on P.E.I.'s peak tourism season months, but those statistics that are in are pointing toward a good year that has the industry feeling bullish.

"Overall it was a relatively strong year," said Corryn Clemence, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I.

"We had started to hear maybe there was some soft spots in July, but you know, August was really a good month for us. We had a lot of activity happening in September — and some great weather, which always helps."

Traffic over the Confederation Bridge from June through September was up four per cent over 2023, and nine per cent over the pre-pandemic record year of 2019. Charlottetown Airport posted virtually identical increase rates.

Port Charlottetown blew previous records for cruise-ship visits out of the water, with 94 ships calling.

The port welcomed its last ship of the year Wednesday. The province has not posted final numbers yet, but June through September, passenger numbers were up 60 per cent compared to last year and 45 per cent over 2019. 

"Cruise has been doing a tremendous job post-COVID, really rebounding," said Clemence.

There is a sign the port may be entering a new era, doubling the number of passengers visiting in July. The strength of cruise has typically been in the spring and fall, so that kind of spread into the summer months is a big opportunity.

"To see them be able to fill those months in with ships, and some of the larger ships, is extraordinary," said Clemence

Port Charlottetown says it is far from reaching its capacity. While there have been busy days with three and even four ships in port at a time, there is still room for expansion into August in particular. The port has never actually even reached its maximum daily capacity, with the current record at four ships in a day.

"We would be able to handle five ships," said Kelly Murphy, director of cruise development for Port Charlottetown. "We have three anchorage points as well as accepting two vessels here at our main berth."

She can't confirm at this point whether there will be a five-ship day in 2025.

Murphy noted that the visit of the first cruise ship for 2024, back on April 8, was the earliest ever. She credited tourism operators for opening early in the year and staying open late to keep cruise passengers happy.

This was the 150th anniversary year of the birth of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Parks Canada said marking that event was part of a banner year at Green Gable Heritage Place.