This winter has been a busy one for snowmobiling – and that’s good news for business owners in towns like Barry’s Bay.
That from Ontario Federation of Snowmobiles Clubs CEO Ryan Eickmeier. He says that the sale of permits to ride the provincial network of trails is up slightly this year.
That follows a trend that actually started during the height of the pandemic, when many realized snowmobiling could be done with social distancing.
With the business world more normal now, Eickmeier says many riders are hungry to enjoy restaurants and other businesses located off trails.
“Obviously, during COVID you were restricted in restaurants and hotels,” he says. “For those who were able to survive and make it through that tough period, they’re really seeing the benefits now of packed restaurants, full parking lots, hotels with no vacancy. This is a really good sign for our industry and the industries we support.”
Eickmeier add that this growth will help tourism towns that rely heavily on revenue from snowmobilers.
“The old joke that snowmobilers travel with two things, their sled and their wallet is absolutely true,” he says. “They need somewhere to eat, they need somewhere to fuel up; they often need somewhere to stay.”
A OFSC report from 2019 report says the industry leads to about $100 million in spending each year in OFSC’s District 6, which includes Barry’s Bay. The report also said the industry leads to 600 jobs nearly $30 million in tax revenue in the district each year.
