St. George business surprised to be listed as visitor centre on government website

A jolly, oversized blueberry statue in front of Granite Town Farms in St. George isn't the only smiling face in town greeting tourists.

Travellers often stop in search of maps and suggestions from Granite Town's owner, Polly Cox.

Now, she knows why: her business is listed on the provincial tourism website as the St. George Visitor Centre.

"We have no designation and no official role with the municipality for the tourist information, so I'm kind of surprised that we're listed again as the tourist centre," Cox said, whose family-run business in southwestern New Brunswick includes a blueberry farm and gift shop.

The confusion in St. George offers a glimpse into the province's tourism strategy,puttingthe responsibility to greet tourists onto existing municipal spots, hoping visitorswill leave the highway to find them.

The government's tourism website, branded as Explore NB, describes the St. George centre as a place where "Travel Experts will help you plan your perfect New Brunswick vacation!"

When Cox took ownership in 2015, Granite Town Farms was indeed St. George's designated visitor centre. This came with a stipend from the town and official tourism materials to distribute. With the pandemic's arrival in 2020, the contract was not renewed and hasn'tbeen since.

A clerk for the rural communityof Eastern Charlotte, the newly created entity that includes St. George, confirmed there is currently no designated visitor centre for the municipality.

Shift away from provincial visitor centres

Before the pandemic, provincially run tourist-information centres welcomed visitors at key entry points to New Brunswick, often along the highway.

Some were closed before the pandemic because of low traffic volume, leaving just three:St. Stephen in the south, Saint-Jacques in the northwestand Campbellton in the north.

Those three shut down in 2020, and a spokesperson for the department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture confirmed in an emailed statement that they remain closed.

Provincial websites, social mediaand signagenow direct tourists to more than 45 municipally run centres.

Lynn White, director of tourism development for the province, said online interaction is increasing, but the department recognizes there is still a need for people to "have that conversation" with a visitor-centre guide.

White denied the province was shifting the responsibility to greet visitors onto municipalities, saying it's always been their role to welcome visitors.

Most major highways in New Brunswick don't offer glimpses of the landscape, let alone communities nearby, but White insisted that tourists will get off the highway anyway.

"I think it is where visitors want to be, they want to be immersed in the communities, they want to be with the locals, they want to see what New Brunswickers are doing," White said.

Tourists who stick to the highway can miss that chance to interact "with the locals," she said.

Asked about missed opportunities when centres aren't visible along the highway, White said tourists can also interact with local people at thelocal gas station and"at your local Tim Hortons."

"New Brunswick residents are our greatest ambassadors."

A love for New Brunswick, thanks to a visitor centre

Aaron and Aime Huotari of Bangor, Maine, visited the province in 2015, stopping at a now-closed Saint John municipal visitor centre right on the highway.

Huotari had already done online research,and at first he brushed off the guide who approached him, but he decided to hear her out. That guide,learningabout the couple's affinity for hiking, directed them to the Irving Nature Park, among other places.

The couple were hooked. In the past eight years, they've been back to the province upwards of 10times.

"That was a really positive experience that really turned into a lot of time and money spent in New Brunswick," Huotari said. "We've been doing it every year now."

A spokesperson for Envision Saint John, which oversees tourism in that area, said the nearby centre on the highway Huotari visited was closed last year because of declining traffic, and tourists can now use several visitor centres downtown.

Closure of provincial centres 'short-sighted'

In St. George, Cox is happy to do her part promoting New Brunswick, but would like to see the nearby St. Stephen provincial visitor centre reopened.

"It's very short-sighted. They need to be open at the very least at border crossings when people come into the provincethere should be information, because it's too easy to drive through."

But she also agrees having locals greet tourists is important, as well.

"People have come in looking for seafood, they want to cook their own seafood. Well, we know around here who has seafood, we know the area," Cox said.

White could not answer why Granite Town Farmswas unaware it was a visitor centre and said staff would look into it.

She went on to say that the department checks every municipal visitor centre "on an annual basis" to distribute maps, informationand ensure staff are trained, but agreed that St. George must have been missed.

Back in Maine, Huotari was saddened to hear the visitor centre that ignited his interest in New Brunswick had closed.

While he's not against planning vacations online, the internet "is no replacement" for a person who can engage with tourists and guide them to personalized experiences.

"Unfortunately, it's becoming more common to see closures of amenities like this one," Huotari said.