Halifax Convention Centre ‘tremendous opportunity’ for Nova Scotia tourism says industry association

It's been a long time coming, but the president of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia thinks the Nova Centre could be a big boost for the province's travel business.

On Tuesday, Events East Group announced the Halifax Convention Centre, a large part of the Nova Centre, will be holding its grand opening on December 15th, with its first client booked for January 20th.

They said the 90 events booked for 2018 are expected to bring an estimated 75,000 delegates to Halifax and generate more than $50 million.

Darlene Grant-Fiander told NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show overall, it's just a building, but how we use it could result in ripple effects that could stimulate the Nova Scotian economy as a whole.

“The use of local suppliers at the centre is going to make sure that farmers and fisherman and artists are benefitting from it.”

She said tourism in rural areas of the province could also get a boost, about 50 per cent of delegates end up doing pre- or post-travel.

“How do we get them to go to Guysborough, to Clare, to Yarmouth,” she said. “The stories that are told and how that convention centre represents Nova Scotia is going to be a key part of how successful we think that centre is.”

However, Grant-Fiander said there's still one big piece missing from the Nova Centre.

“It needs that conference hotel,” she said. “It was promised that would be part of the development, there's not many convention centres in the world where you're not attached directly to the convention hotel.”

She said pressure needs to be put on the developer, Argyle Developments, to make sure that part of the Nova Centre comes to fruition.