Visitor numbers down 50-70% at P.E.I. National Park

National park beaches have been popular P.E.I. hot spots, even though they have been far from full during the pandemic, according to Parks Canada.

Jessica Foster, visitor services co-ordinator forParks Canada on the Island, saidvisitornumbers are downat P.E.I. National Parkby 50 to 70 per cent this summer.

She said the drop was expected as a result of COVID-19-related travel and physical distancing orders.

Despite the overall decline compared to previous years, weekends bucked the trend over recent months as more visitors turned up.

Given the travel restrictions still in place, Foster suggestedthe traffic consists of Islanders on stay-at-home vacations and Atlantic bubblers.

People can still access trails, areas for daytime use, green spaces, some beaches and campsites.

The Cavendish Campground remainsclosed to the public for theseason to continue the cleanup of damage caused by post-tropical storm Dorian.

The Stanhope Campground was operating at 40 per cent capacity because ofpublic health orders, and Foster said it was nearly at its limits most nights.

"Given the amount of sites we have, we were very busy," she said.

She notedthere is still time to camp there.

Foster saidthe surf guard service wrapped for the season at Greenwich Beach on Aug. 23, and will end at Stanhope's main beach on Aug. 30.

The Brackley and Cavendish main beaches will continue to have surf guards on duty until Sept. 7.

Entry fees will continue to be collecteduntil Sept. 7.

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