The purpose of this paper is to provide an historical context of the growth of Celtic music on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and to trace the development as a component of a cultural tourism product.
The paper examines literature on music and cultural tourism as well as government reports. Semi‐structured interviews were done with a cross‐section of people, key to the development of musical cultural tourism on Cape Breton Island.
The paper reports on the initial investments of the federal government of Canada in tourism infrastructure on Cape Breton Island in the 1970s and the initial investments in entertainment as a component of tourism in 1986. The paper examines the growth of Celtic music in Cape Breton and the birth of the success of the Cape Breton sound.
The practitioners of the music industry are quite clear in their views of the importance of their sector to the broader tourism industry. However, the study is quiet on the actual perceptions and views of the tourist. Further research should examine the importance of the cultural experience in contributing to the satisfaction of the visitors' experience.
The success of the Celtic Colors International Festival has clearly indicated the market for Cape Breton Celtic music and that festivals of this sort have the ability to extend the tourism season.
The paper chronicles the development of one of the most successful Atlantic Canadian cultural tourism products which has broad applications in comparable tourist destinations.
