One of the region's oldest and most popular tourist attractions kicked off its 2015 season Friday morning. Maid of the Mist boats are once again ferrying passengers to the base of Niagara Falls.Spokesman Kevin Keenan was on hand for the first boat launch at 9 a.m. Keenan says visitors from across the globe come to the Falls to enjoy the unique experience.
"Our very first two guests were from Brisbane, Australia. There was a family from Italy on board. Every single launch has people from all over the world," Keenan told WBFO.
Keenan says improvements have been made to allow for quicker boarding and unboarding from both the lower and upper levels of the boats.
"New gangways have been installed that connect the floating dock to The Maid of the Mist," Keenan said. "It will quicker the pace for loading and off-loading of the boat."
Hundreds of thousands of people take the boat ride into the Falls each season. Keenan says the tours are also popular among celebrities, with stars like Matthew Broderick, Charlie Sheen and Katy Perry having boarded the vessels over the last couple of years.
Now in its 130th consecutive year, the Maid of the Mist is one of North America's oldest tourist attractions.
