Border crossing fears add to slow season on Campobello

The recently completed summer season has been, overall, a disappointing one for businesses on Campobello that depend on tourists for their trade. With less than optimal weather early in the season, concerns about crossing the border and sky-high gasoline prices, most owners saw average or below-average business for the season.

Some businesses reported a better-than-expected year, as well as some positive signs for the future, including a new study conducted at the Roosevelt Campobello International Park and some cross-border cooperative ventures that were beneficial this season.

Victoria Cunningham, owner of Tori's Lights & Lupine Studio gift shop and president of Campobello Tourism, says, "It was one of our worst years ever. It seems there has been a decline since 9/11." She attributes the poor season to a variety of factors. "Crossing the border seems to intimidate some visitors. They are not knowledgeable about the papers they need. Customs guards are doing their jobs, and the reality is that the crossing to Lubec is quick and convenient, but there is a fear factor."

Cunningham also cites the strong Canadian dollar. "There is no longer the benefit of the exchange rate for shopping and dining," she says. The high price of gasoline, plus fog and rain early in the season, also slowed tourists this year.

Cunningham believes that marketing Campobello as a special place -- "God's little pocket of nature, where you can find yourself again" will help to improve tourism and attract younger visitors to the island. She is encouraged by efforts to band together and encourage repeat visits and positive word of mouth from those who have been on Campobello. "We need to work together, or we will keep sliding down each year," she says.

Mary Helen Robichaud of the Lupine Lodge shares concerns about the border crossing. "We are having fewer bus tours. The buses are avoiding crossing the border because of the time delays. They have to check each person, and that is hurting us." She did see a pickup in business through the season as the weather improved. "For us at the lodge, August was better than July, which was better than June." She feels that conditions are right for a good fall season, with people coming for the foliage in the provincial park.

Sarah Phillips of the Campobello Gift House has also seen a slow season to date. "It's worse this year than last, and has declined, for us, since 9/11. We had the wet, foggy June and July, but the weather has been better for the last few weeks." Despite the decline in business, Phillips is upbeat about the future. "This area is just being discovered. Long-term view, I think things will improve, just not in the next year or two."

Mary Cook, who operates the Harbordrifter Bed and Breakfast with husband Gary, sees business improving. "This is only our second year, but we are up from last year a little bit. We have a lot of guests from the U.S., from New York and down the East Coast. People here have been really good, helping us starting out. We get overflow business from other B&Bs on the island. We only have a couple of reservations through the rest of the season right now." The waterfront inn offers high-speed Internet access to draw more "connected" guests.

Michael Chesley Johnson opened Friar's Bay Studio Gallery just this year and says, "We exceeded our expectations. We have no history to judge how this season compares, but we worked continuously with our students in the workshop this year, and we're ready and looking forward to next summer."

Rydell Flynn, owner of Captain Riddle's Sea Going Adventures, says that perceptions, rather than actual problems at the border, have been a problem. "For example, a family from New Brunswick called for our new Lighthouse by Land and Sea Tour, but decided not to come because he thought there were long lines and delays at the border. He also thought he had to have a passport to cross."

Ruta Jordans, from Tours of Lubec and Cobscook, operates the Lighthouse Tour with Flynn. She agreed, saying, "We found many misconceptions about the difficulty in crossing, such as people who did not want to go because they had not been able to find their birth certificates."

On the other hand, Jordans says that the worry about the border has increased business, too. "Actually, we have had several people who came on our tours because they didn't want to take their own car, could not take their car because it was a rental, or just felt it would be easier to see Campobello with the tour. A family from Vancouver Island told us they were waiting in line to cross at St. Stephen when they noticed on the map that they could take the Deer Island ferry to Campobello and cross here. They turned around and drove to St. George, took the ferries and had a wonderful trip, and then crossed the border with no line at Lubec."

Most business owners on Campobello, even those having a less successful year, saw encouraging signs for the future. As potential visitors become more comfortable with the new border regulations and procedures, they hope that tourism will bounce back on the island. And, with the success of cross-border efforts like the lighthouse tour, many hope that benefits will accrue to tourist dependent businesses on both sides of the border with more cooperative, regional efforts.