Tourist numbers up this summer on Newfoundland's west coast

The weather has been warm and sunny recently, but people on Newfoundland's west coast haven't forgotten the grim and grey weather of July.

Despite an early summer that felt more like fall, business owners in Gros Morne National Park say tourism in the region is up this year.

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Sue Rendell, who owns Gros Morne Adventures with her husband Bob Hicks, said they've been booked solid with people looking for a kayaking adventure through the park.

"It's been pretty steady. In the run of a day its not uncommon to have 40 or 50 paddlers go through our business," she said.

"Now with the lovely weather in August, we've really come up to numbers similar to previous years. In actual fact, I think we might be 10 per cent up from previous years."

Rendell's business started 26 years ago, with just a couple of kayaks and a camper van, but she said people are booking years in advance, now that Gros Morne is finally on the map.

"UNESCO World Heritage designation for Gros Morne, for L'Anse aux Meadows, and now a third world heritage site in southern Labrador at Red Bay," she said.

"That's definitely making national and international news, so certainly the buzz is out there about this place," said Rendell.

Down the road from the beach at Justin Thyme Bean & Bistro, owner Justin George agrees that tourists from outside the province are filling the seats.

However, when weather isn't ideal, George said Newfoundland and Labrador tourists tend to stay at home.

"We're not seeing what we like to call the locals, and not the Norris Point or Rocky Harbour locals, they're still coming out. It's the Stephenville, Corner Brook, Deer Lake groups that aren't making that run to come up," said George.

"I think it's weather dependent. No one is going to leave their house in Corner Brook to come and drive an hour and half if it's pissing rain."

Cold July weather may have kept some tourists away from the area, but businesses did pretty well. Most of the restaurants and tourist operators will stay open until it gets cold, sometime in October.