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August 3, 2011
Saga Shipping Company Ltd. recently announced that the company will visit the Port of Pictou with its vessel Saga Pearl II in September 2012. "The cruise business in Nova Scotia is growing year after year, and we are excited that such a well-known line has added the Port of Pictou to their visitor list," said Katy MacDonald, Pictou Regional Development Agency and Chair of the Pictou County Cruise Committee. "The Committee has been working diligently over the last four years in partnership with Atlantic Canada Cruise Association to attract ships to smaller ports in soliciting new business and to seek business from existing cruise companies that have Atlantic Canada on their itineraries."
Saga Shipping Company Ltd. is based out of Folkestone in the U.K. The Saga Pearl II is a four star cruise ship with a passenger capacity of 425 people. The source market of Saga cruises is the UK and British Nationals making up 95 per cent of the passengers. Sales for this cruise are expected to be strong stated Saga Shipping Company representatives.
The Pictou County Cruise Committee consists of representatives from PRDA, PCTA, the municipalities of Pictou County, New Glasgow and Pictou, and the local business community. The Pictou County Cruise Committee is at the early stages of planning the visit with Saga Shipping and local operators. Company officials from Saga are planning a site visit to the County later this year.
The strength of Pictou County as a cruise destination centers on a very authentic, hands on cultural experience, not the packaged tourism products that they would typically experience in the mass market on the larger vessels. The hospitality that Pictou County is known for, market readiness, and significant tourism product are all factors that help to attract cruise ships. "We recognize the potential the cruise industry has for the County and we are marketing return visits to those companies that stop at our port," said Pictou Mayor Joseph Hawes. “We are hoping that this visit will ignite other companies to target Pictou County as a stop on their itineraries.”
“The Town of New Glasgow is thrilled that the Saga Shipping Company will visit the Port of Pictou and Pictou County with the Saga Pearl II,” say Geralyn MacDonald, Community Development Director with the Town of New Glasgow and past chair of the local committee. “We have been partnering with Pictou, the County, and PRDA because we always believed in the potential of cruise ships to our region. This has been a long time in the making and finally we are seeing the benefit of these efforts, both ours and those who invested in this years ago. This is great news for tourism in Pictou County and there will be a significant economic impact County wide through four shore excursions. Pictou County has an authentic, memorable tourism experience and great hospitality that cruise passengers want to experience. ”
Full details on the offerings of the Port of Pictou and promoting Pictou County as a cruise destination can be found on the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association website at www.atlanticcanadacruise.com or www.cruisepictoucounty.ca.
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