Ch-ch-ch-changes in Yarmouth Tourism
The Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association (YASTA) has lost its general manager Lisa LeBlanc, according to YASTA board chairman Esther Dares, who is also a councilor with the Town of Yarmouth. "She resigned last week," said Dares, "and in an emergency board meeting Thursday, we appointed Denise Nickerson as acting GM." Nickerson is the tourism manager of the Cape Forchu Lighthouse during the summer season.
Ester Dares told SCT that the board has also decided to withdraw the search for a bilingual tourism officer for the association, until a new general manager can be found. "We decided that this was a good time to re-assess our tourism strategy and after that, we'll begin a search for a new GM and fill the tourism officer position."
YASTA has had a difficult time of it in the past two years, including losing its relationship with South West Shore Development Authority, whose bankruptcy under CEO Frank Anderson left YASTA with a $60,000 unpaid debt from SWSDA. Long-time tourism professional Larry Peach left soon thereafter for a position in Clare and YASTA was embroiled in a very public dispute with Destination South West Nova Scotia when the Yarmouth group filed to sever its ties with the regional association and become its own Regional Tourism Industry Association (RTIA).
Yarmouth Town councilor Ken Langille told SCT that he was surprised and disappointed at the news of LeBlanc's sudden departure. "I'm really a bit shocked to hear she resigned last week," said Langille, "when we saw her at the Tourism Cafe on Thursday evening, everything seemed just fine."
Dares was unable to discuss the circumstances of the sudden resignation and attempts to reach Lisa LeBlanc via telephone were unsuccessful.
