A grand total of 740 motorcoaches pulled into the Cabot Beach Provincial Park this past weekend to celebrate the largest Family Motorcoach Association (FMCA) Rally ever held in Canada. Hosted by the Northeast Area Chapter of the Association, the participants travelled from all across North America to experience Prince Edward Island and participate in a number of seminars, social events and tours.
"This event was a great boost for the regional economy as well as tourism as a whole," noted Jeffrey E. Lantz, Minister of Tourism. "Many of the association members expressed to me that they had arrived early and many more were staying on, post-rally, to tour around the Island adding to the success of the event. I expect that many of the coaches will return to Prince Edward Island in years to come."
In preparation for the group's arrival, Provincial Parks expanded the area of the park to include an adjacent field and worked with the rally association and community members to ensure that the experience was of the highest quality possible. The planning group arranged entertainment based on various themes and seminars to educate participants about what to do and see while they are in Prince Edward Island.
Mr. George Riley, Islander and member of the executive for the FMCA, was very encouraged by the alliance between the organizing committee and the provincial government in the preparations for the event. "This was a huge undertaking and it took a lot of planning between the two groups to ensure that everyone's needs were met. The cooperation between all parties did not go unnoticed by the membership as the event unfolded. Staff of Provincial Parks became part of the "family" and their preparations ensured that we provided everyone attending with the best possible showcase of Prince Edward Island."
"We are extremely pleased to have hosted the Family Motor Coach Association at Cabot Beach Provincial Park," noted Mitch Murphy, area MLA. "The scenic drives and beautiful beachfront of the area should entice many of these visitors to make our Island part of their formula for touring in the future."
"This trip marked the first time most of these travellers have visited Prince Edward Island," added Minister Lantz, "but after talking to a number of participants, I can guarantee you we will see many of them year after year, now that they have had a taste of PEI hospitality and experienced the quality of RV-ing on our Island."