As the Atlantic travel bubble opened Friday morning and hundreds of cars crossed over the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island, Island business leaders are confident that visitors will be welcomed with traditional first-class Island hospitality.
“This is a great day. You can see the friendly faces in Borden, including our Premier (Dennis King), waving and welcoming our friends and neighbours,” said Kevin Murphy, a spokesperson for the Prince Edward Island Business Continuity Group (PEIBCG).
“That’s who we are as Islanders.”
The Business Continuity Group is a newly-formed, non-partisan group of Island business leaders interested in generating ideas and discussion to help businesses refresh and renew in a safe and expeditious manner as Prince Edward Island emerges from COVID-19 restrictions.
Murphy points to actions by the provincial government as examples of that Island hospitality, including King welcoming arriving visitors and Tourism P.E.I. staff preparing more than 3,000 welcome gift bags with Island products that were to be distributed at Confederation Bridge and Northumberland Ferries.
“This is great,” said Murphy. “P.E.I. businesses are ready as well with friendly staff ready to create a memorable vacation experience.”
Murphy stresses that the success of the Atlantic travel bubble will be dependent on Islanders and visitors respecting COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.
He noted businesses have sanitation and physical distancing procedures in place and encourages everyone to follow common-sense guidelines such as physical distancing, washing hands and avoiding large-group gatherings.
