Kingston hopeful for pot tourists from U.S.

Tourism officials in Kingston, Ont., arehoping the opening of legal cannabis stores could lead to a rise in American visitors.

Bill Durnford, chairof Tourism Kingston, toldOntario MorningMondaythat the local tourism industry doesn't know exactly what to expect now that there are legal storefronts selling cannabis in the city.

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"But we anticipate it is going to cause some excitement and interest, especially in those south of the border," Durnford said.

The first legal storein downtown Kingston opened Monday,and Durnford said thehospitality industry is already wondering what this will mean as the busy summer season approaches.

Durnfordsaid he sees a future where visitors can both purchase cannabis and visit nearby facilities like those in Smiths Falls, Ont., to see where it's produced.

"Indue course, I think producers like Canopy Growth will look to capitalize on opportunities like that," Durnford said.

Council hasn't committed

Despite that optimism,Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson saidthere are no official plans to push cannabis tourism at the municipal level.

"I'm sure there will be interest in cannabis as brick-and-mortar stores open across the province and here in Kingston," Paterson said in a statement.

"However, council has not specifically discussed cannabis from a tourism perspective."

The model many want to mimic is the success of Ontario wineries, particularlythose in nearby Prince Edward County, which have become major tourism draws.

The law currently prevents licensed producers from selling or sampling their product where it is grown.

Durnford said talks with the province to alterthose ruleshave already begun, althoughchanges are likely years away.