THE SCOOP WITH COOP

Isnt it funny how, when we talk of a vacation we always ask where people are going.

To many people a vacation isnt truly a vacation unless you leave the province.

But what about all those people who are flocking to this province each year? Do they know something that we dont?

You can have a great vacation and see many wonderful and exciting places without leaving this province. If you really feel a need to cross water, all you have to do is visit wonderful communities like Change Island or the many communities rich in history that make up Fogo Island.

Many people, when they plan a trip to this province make sure they visit places like the Beothuk Interpretation Centre which offer glimpses into the past. Ironically though there are many in this are who have never made that trek to see what the Beothuk Interpretation Centre has to offer that makes it a sought after destination for people from all parts of Canada, the united States and beyond.

You dont have to go far to discover new things. How many people in The Pilots coverage area have never been to Fogo Island or Change Islands? How many have never watched the icebergs from Long Point or walked the trail to the Beothuk site at Boyds Cove?

The numbers that answer these questions would probably surprise you. Whats equally as surprising is that while people are prepared to pay in excess of $60 U.S. admission price to visit Disney World, many of the same people would by-pass a local heritage destination because there is a $3 admission fee.

Maybe its time that we, as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, take a step back and hit the open roads right at our doorsteps to see what secrets lie along the Great Northern Peninsula or along the provinces Southwest Coast.

Maybe this year we should shop locally, so to speak, and vacation right here in our own backyards.