City folk staying home for holidays
Claire Ryan’s latest FUSION Saint John article appeared in today’s Telegraph-Journal:
Summer – the time of year where vacation reigns supreme. Destinations range from rustic camp sites to swanky resorts, but the purpose is the same – to pack up and hit the road for some sun, fun and relaxation.
This year, however, the “staycation” seems to be equally as popular as “just getting away-” rather than heading off into the vacation sunset, more people are choosing to spend their holidays closer to home.
“People are taking the time to explore interesting aspects of the city they haven’t bothered with for decades, either because they have new prominence, as is the case with Barbour’s General Store, or because they have decided to get back in touch with their city – most likely a combination of the two,” says Sean Payne of Tourism Saint John.
There is certainly no shortage of things to do or “stay-trips” to take, whether you’re geocaching at Rockwood Park or meandering around the uptown.
Tourism Saint John itself has also gotten into the spirit of the staycation. It typically sends its summer information centre staff on day trips in southern New Brunswick as a way of familiarizing themselves with local attractions and areas outside the city. This year, however, they opted to focus on the many attractions around Saint John, sending several groups of summer information centre staff on a day trip in the city. “We felt that spending a day touring the city would benefit the staff much more than going elsewhere,” Payne said. “This is how a lot of people are approaching summer vacation this year; I’ve seen more visitors from Moncton and Fredericton visiting who haven’t been here in years. Once they’re here, they’re finding themselves pleasantly surprised with how much there is to do.”
Saint Johners are spending their holidays right here at home and discovering that there are plenty of great ways to spend a vacation in the city – no packing and unpacking required. One of the best benefits is that it gives us the chance to explore the many attractions our own region has to offer, but that seem to get lost in the shuffle of our day-to-day lives.
The economic uncertainty that has hijacked the headlines over the past year has inspired people to find creative ways to make the most of their dollar. This perspective has crept into all areas of life – including summer vacation planning, and “staycation” has become as big of a holiday buzzword as “all-inclusive.” As is often the case, the sites and sounds that are right under our noses are often overlooked and under appreciated. This year, we are rediscovering that there are plenty of great ways to spend a vacation right here in the city. Rather than spend money getting somewhere, Saint Johners are staying here and living larger, rediscovering an appreciation for our own neck of the woods.
Claire Ryan works with MT&L Public Relations Ltd. and is a member of the FUSION Saint John board. Her column appears on Tuesdays. She can be reached at cryan@mtlpr.ca
