[YARMOUTH, NS] — Two Yarmouth businessmen have expanded the use of their property by creating “health and wellness” packages in addition to their traditional inn operations.
Michael Tavares and Neil Hisgen hope to entice yoga and health enthusiasts in North America to escape sweltering hot cities for a “cool and rejuvenating visit” this summer.
“This is all about experiential tourism, which is exactly what the government has been telling us to do for three or four years now,” said Tavares.
The men are advertising their MacKinnon-Cann Inn complex that includes two other buildings, as a retreat destination spa. They’ll be offering seven weeklong packages (two in July, two in August, two in September and one in October.)
They are partnering with Twin Cities Air Service, departing from Portland, Maine.
“We’re going to create a vacation destination that’s going to have a spa theme. Pick people up at the airport and take them out to the lighthouse where they cleanse themselves of all the places they’ve come from and give them a Nova Scotian experience,” said Tavares.
The program will teach the principals of Ayurveda Indian cooking with chef Kabir Raj Rana using fresh ingredients from local, organic suppliers, and offer yoga classes with Kerry Lawson on and off site.
Daily services will include massage, acupuncture, facials, manicures and pedicures. Personal nutritional consulting, photography workshops, and guided field trips will also be offered.
Destinations include local lobster pounds, Mavillette and Port Maitland beaches and a walking tour of the heritage district.
Tavares and Hisgen say they’ve added the new approach to tourism to make more use of their property. They hope to inspire others.
“We have the infrastructure, we just have to market it,” said Tavares.
“A lot of things have happened and people are losing their touch because they’re losing their hope. If people like us, and other people that see the more positive side to this downfall, act, I think we’ll bring it back,” said Hisgen.
“What we are doing here is we’re not looking out of the box. We need to realize what’s in the box,” added Tavares.
