WELLINGTON, P.E.I. - Five P.E.I. heritage sites and five Island tourist attractions are part of a brand-new, national Francophone Heritage, Cultural and Tourism Corridor that was officially launched in Ottawa earlier this week.
The Doucet House and the Farmers Bank of Rustico; Port-La-Joye-Fort Amherst National Park in Rocky Point; the Acadian Museum of P.E.I. in Miscouche; Province House in Charlottetown; and Roma at Three Rivers in Montague are the heritage sites included in the corridor.
The attractions are the Acadian Musical Village (and the National Acadian Holiday) in Abram-Village; Island Artisan Cheesehouse in Mont-Carmel; the Atlantic Fiddlers' Jamboree in Mont-Carmel; the Bottle Houses in Cape Egmont; the Rendez-Vous Rustico; the Acadian Community of Abram-Village (with its various festivals); and the Coopérative de développement culturel et patrimonial de Mont-Carmel.
"Many countries around the world offer tourist circuits that are popular with travellers. This corridor adds an experience like nothing else in the world by showcasing a major element of Canada's character internationally,” said Bardish Chagger, federal minister of Small Business and Tourism. “The Canadian Francophonie, in addition to being a source of pride, will be a tourist attraction that visitors will love.”
Descriptions and photos of each attraction, in addition to promotional material, are compiled on a bilingual website at http://corridorcanada.ca. Visitors from other countries and provinces who wish to discover the provincial and Canadian “francophonie” can visit the site to plan their entire vacation.
The corridor offers users an innovative classification system for the level of French-language services they can expect to receive.
Officials say other attractions will be added over time.
"We are extremely pleased to see that a major portion of the Island's francophone tourism industry has already been accepted as an integral part of the corridor," said Gilles Arsenault, tourism development officer with RDÉE Prince Edward Island. "We still have spots for eight other tourist attractions, so we'll add them as soon as we're able to confirm that they meet all the required criteria."
The corridor is a national network established by RDÉE Canada and its provincial and territorial organization-members, including RDÉE P.E.I. In all, the corridor includes about 130 heritage sites, about 160 tourism products, 32 videos, eight oral archives and 85 panoramic photo displays. Three of the videos feature Island sites; these were professionally filmed and produced last summer.
The project design phase will continue until March 31.
“Given the enthusiastic and eager response of the partners to whom we presented the corridor, we will be launching the project this year,” said Jean‑Guy Bigeau, president and CEO of RDÉE Canada. “In so doing, we hope to capitalize on the potential of the 2018 tourism season and provide a tangible benefit to partners interested in participating in the project. The adventure is just beginning."
