This Manitoba community has been receiving increased interest in summer staycations
While Manitobans can travel outside the province, many are choosing staycations right here at home – a move that is being welcomed by one of Manitoba's lakeside communities.
Adam and Crystal Markewich took a day trip to Gimli. The couple said they haven’t been to the lakeside community for years but, on Saturday, they made the drive to enjoy the weather and grab some fish and chips.
"I’ve been once years and years ago for hockey, and she came as a kid with her grandparents, so haven’t been for a while and decided to do something different," Adam said.
He said a lot of other people appear to be taking day trips in Gimli as well.
"With COVID being more and more relaxed now, too, they’re trying to get out and about and get back to kind of normal lives, so it seems busy here today.”
The beach and the weather aren’t the only things drawing people into the rural municipality this summer - the Gimli Film Festival is also grabbing people’s attention.
Alan Wong, the manager of the festival, said the turnout this year has been very good.
"We’ve had just as many, if not more numbers in terms of viewers and pass buyers and tickets buyers and that sort of thing online as last year," he said. "And then this year we have the addition of the drive-in, the pop-up drive in.”
Lynn Greenberg, the mayor of the RM of Gimli, said he’s noticed an uptick in tourism in the municipality this summer.
"There’s been quite an increase in people coming to visit Gimli," he said. "They’re coming in to enjoy the beach and everything, so definitely the numbers are up.”
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce said with the American border still closed for travel - many Manitobans are taking day trips to the tourist destinations in Manitoba.
"I would expect that business will be brisk and good for a lot of these places that have sort of been tourist destinations," Chuck Davidson, the president and CEO of the chamber, told CTV News.
"A lot of people got a first chance to do that last summer, they’re taking advantage of it this summer as well.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.