Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 281 -Section 17Western RegionOverviewWestern Newfoundland is the major gateway to the province for visitors arriving by auto onMarine Atlantic’s ferries into Port aux Basques. Increasingly, it is also an air gateway withimproved service from central Canada and the Maritimes into Deer Lake. WesternNewfoundland is also home to one of the province’s major icons – Gros Morne National Park,and to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at L’Anse aux Meadows. The region has a robustsummer tourist season and is seeing increasing activity in the early fall. As well, the DeerLake to Corner Brook area is a winter destination for downhill skiing, primarily for theresident and Maritime markets, and much of the western region also offers snowmobiling.The region is known for its outdoor adventure experiences – hiking, kayaking, wildlifeviewing, and boat tours, and also offers a mix of cultural entertainment and heritage sites. Henew Humber Valley Resort project is creating a new niche market of visitors to this area, ahigh end, European market who are purchasing recreational real estate in the region. CornerBrook is the major service centre for the region.Accommodation Supply and DemandSupplyoooWestern Newfoundland has almost 2,000 units of accommodation, some 27% of theaccommodation units in the province and 34% of the propertiesIt has the highest percentage of properties and units at the 1 – 1.5 star level; it also has thelowest percentage of properties at the 4 – 4.5 Star level on the Island, but the highestproportion of units atthe 3 – 3.5 Star levelSupply of Accommodations in Western Region: % of TotalWhile over 1,100 unitsare found in hotel/motelstyle facilities, theWestern Region has alower proportion of itsaccommodation in thiscategory and a higherproportion in thecottage category thanother regions of theprovince.80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%0%20%59%35%11%27%19% 18%11%Hotel/Motel B&B Cottages B&B/InnProp'tsUnitsTHE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study