British couple saw Manitoulin on 鈥楻ace Around the World鈥�, liked what they saw
MANITOULIN鈥擡urope is transfixed by the reality series 鈥楻ace Around the World,鈥� and it was with great surprise that Leanne and Rob Beatty, owners of Mountain View Resort on Lake Manitou, discovered how the show benefitted them.聽
鈥楻ace Around the World鈥� began its debut in 2019. Much like the popular Amazing Race of the US and Canada, the program follows teams of two as they race to reach their final destination. Participants can use any means of transportation except air travel, and they are not allowed to use cell phones or credit cards but are given money in the amount of a one-way plane ticket to that final destination. It鈥檚 up to each team to work out the logistics. Season 3 was about racing from British Columbia to Newfoundland, and episode 5 of the popular TV show had the contestants travelling from Thunder Bay to Manitoulin Island.聽
鈥淎ctually,鈥� said Leane Beatty, 鈥渋t was somebody from Britain who originally called to book a reservation. I said, 鈥楬ow did you hear about us?鈥� And they said, 鈥榳e watch a show called 鈥楾rek around the World.鈥� They called it Trek around the World, but we learned it鈥檚 鈥楻ace Around the World.鈥� They said, 鈥榃e heard about Manitoulin Island on that show and we鈥檙e very avid watchers of the show, and we wanted to check it out.鈥欌�� And they were not alone. 鈥淲e鈥檝e also had guests come from France, and then some people from Austria and from Amsterdam,鈥� Ms. Beatty recounted. All because of this show, originating in Great Britain, but airing throughout Europe and parts of India.聽
聽鈥淣o one seemed to know, on the Island, that Manitoulin Island was part of the show. There would have been film crews around, how did no one know about this?鈥� Ms. Beatty said, bewildered. In fact, the show keeps a low profile during the filming, sending only two crew members out with each team.聽
A conversation with Jeff Lewis, of Kicking Mule Guest Ranch, revealed that, more and more, he鈥檚 been hosting guests from all over the world as well. When asked if anyone had mentioned 鈥楻ace Across the World,鈥� he squinted, considering the question. 鈥淧ossibly,鈥� he said, 鈥渟omething like that may have been mentioned, and I just didn鈥檛 clue in.鈥�
Mr. Lewis has his guests sign boards that will ultimately become fence posts. 鈥淎t the beginning of the summer, I had eight, now I鈥檓 beginning the 22nd post. It鈥檚 been a busy season, with people coming from China, India, Ireland, South America and Germany. I鈥檓 really popular in Germany,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淭hese people showed me a travel magazine from Germany. There was The Kicking Mule Guest Ranch. It was all in German, so I didn鈥檛 understand it, but they told me it said we were the place to be for the Western Ranch experience without going all the way out west. Apparently, the show 鈥榊ellowstone鈥� is popular in Germany and everyone wants to visit a western-style ranch. I don鈥檛 know how I got in the magazine,鈥� he said, mystified, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 pay for any ads in a German Magazine.鈥�
Leanne and Rob Beatty find their visitors from the UK and Europe willing to engage in conversation. 鈥淭hey love Canada and the ability to freely move about everywhere,鈥� Ms. Beatty said. Her husband readily agreed. 鈥淵es,鈥� he said, 鈥淭hey mentioned that many times. We really enjoy having people come and tell us their stories, how they heard about us and why they came.鈥�
No doubt, those in the hospitality industry hope they will continue to come. Whether 鈥楻ace Around the World,鈥� 鈥榊ellowstone,鈥� or whatever show sparks an interest in exploration, the world is becoming smaller and social media has made it so. Possibly other resorts, motels, campgrounds and restaurants on the island have experienced this worldwide influx of visitors. After COVID, Mountain View Resort and Kicking Mule Guest Ranch certainly welcome these world travellers. Thanks to the world-wide-web, Manitoulin Island isn鈥檛 now just on the map, it has become part of the race.
by Margery Frisch
