Stay at home

Beauty is only skin deep. It's not what's on the outside that counts, but rather what's inside. Or how about, you can't judge a book by its cover.

All three are good sayings about how many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians view this province as a vacation designation.

There are many that wonder how anyone can stay in this province to spend their hard-earned time away from work, especially with its unpredictable weather. However, if one looks a little deeper, especially past the forecast, one can see a province full beauty, history and tourism opportunities unmatched anywhere in the world.

Tourism has a considerable economic value in this province, bringing in more than $370 million in non-resident revenue in 2009 - a year in which there was supposedly a recession. This was almost a 1.5 per cent increase over 2008.

Take a look around the province, and one can easily see there are many reasons for a tourist to visit this province, and if it's good enough for the CFAs, then it should be more than sufficient for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

At a quick glance, there are numerous nationally recognized parks, historic sites and attractions, and let's not forget, the abundance of provincial and privately-owned campgrounds where one can set up their travel trailer or tent and enjoy the nature.

Not built for the great outdoors, the province boasts world-class resorts and hotels just mere minutes away from some of most interesting architecture, and amazing historic sites.

Then, of course, there's the most renowned fact of the province - its people. Yes, there's natural breath-taking beauty, a wide array of wildlife and plant life, numerous icebergs, and the cultural aspects, but it's the hospitality of the province's people that makes a stay-at-home vacation truly an unforgettable experience.

And there's no better way to experience this than to find the vast selection of local festivals and theatre groups that is present in every nook and cranny of the province.

Just here in the central region, there is more than enough to keep one busy for a couple of weeks.

From the aviation museum in Gander, to the Barbour Living Heritage Village in Newtown, the Beaches Heritage Centre in Eastport, and the Banting Memorial Interpretation Centre in Musgrave Harbour, one can easily receive a full-course history lesson of the region.

Along the way, there's fun to be had at such events as the Festival of Flight in Gander, Muddy Hole Scuff 'n Scoff in Musgrave Harbour, Seabird Theatre Festival in Newtown, Beaches Accordion Festival in Eastport, Dover Fault Festival, Smallwood Days and Logger's Fest in Gambo - these are just a few of the celebrations.

So why not attach a vehicle to a camper or pack a tent and some sleeping bags and travel throughout this province? There's plenty to see and experience without having to deal with the high cost of flying, language barriers and unknown culinary delicacies.

By doing so, you are becoming a part of what has truly become an important economic contributor to the province, in not only dollars and cents, but also employment and pride.