The last few weeks of flood stories and highway closures have the mayor and council a little concerned that this year’s tourist season may be affected by all the news coverage across Canada.
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Herb Pond shared his concerns and possible solutions with the Daily News in Tuesday’s paper.
AREA’S APPEAL MAY BE DAMPENED: POND
Mayor fears damage was done to tourism during recent floods
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Page three
City councilors are concerned the flooding the closed highway 16 may be sinking the tourism season, right on the heels of the disastrous season last summer caused by the sinking of the Queen of the North.
“There have been lots of disasters in this community in the last couple of years that have left us high and dry for the tourism industry,” said Coun. Tony Briglio.
“I don’t see too much difference from where we are now compared to where we were last year in terms of impacting tourism.”
Last year, B. C. Ferries was short of vessels to ferry passengers along the Northern Route after the Queen of the North sunk off Gil Island March 22 and the company was unable to find a replacement vessel.
This year, the perception among the traveling public is that the road is washed out.
“By the time they figure out we are on solid bed again, summer could be over,” he said.
Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he received reports from sports fishing operators who were unable to go out because their clients couldn’t drive in, and even if they could, there was not enough fuel.
And tour bus operators coming west along Highway 16 heading for B.C. Ferries were turned back in Smithers.
“We have put on a bright face and the community has been outstanding about making the best of the situation with events like Seafest,” said Pond. “But underlying this, there are very silent and real economic disasters that are still in place.”
He said the charter buses are usually booked by European charter operators who are having to view the situation from a distance.
“These are operators, from Europe primarily, who for a second year in a row have had problems fulfilling the itinerary that they’ve booked and sold so while the operators may understand completely the two incidents are extremely rare events, and not likely to be repeated back-to-back ever again, they have to be drawing conclusions from a distance … that perhaps this is too risky an area to be conducting business,” said Pond.
“We are going to have to head on the trail and sell the region not only for its many assets but for its security.”
Coun. Joy Thorkelson noted the province did spend $33 million on diking projects, mostly in the Lower Mainland. (Though hit hard by the flood, Terrace and the surrounding area only received about a $1 million in funding.)
“Now that we know where the deep parts are, we should be looking at getting our highways fixed.
“We need to make sure there are no holes in the dikes,” she said.
The city will be talking about these issues with both the province and Tourism Prince Rupert to see what can be done to prepare for the future.
AREA’S APPEAL MAY BE DAMPENED: POND
Mayor fears damage was done to tourism during recent floods
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Page three
City councilors are concerned the flooding the closed highway 16 may be sinking the tourism season, right on the heels of the disastrous season last summer caused by the sinking of the Queen of the North.
“There have been lots of disasters in this community in the last couple of years that have left us high and dry for the tourism industry,” said Coun. Tony Briglio.
“I don’t see too much difference from where we are now compared to where we were last year in terms of impacting tourism.”
Last year, B. C. Ferries was short of vessels to ferry passengers along the Northern Route after the Queen of the North sunk off Gil Island March 22 and the company was unable to find a replacement vessel.
This year, the perception among the traveling public is that the road is washed out.
“By the time they figure out we are on solid bed again, summer could be over,” he said.
Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he received reports from sports fishing operators who were unable to go out because their clients couldn’t drive in, and even if they could, there was not enough fuel.
And tour bus operators coming west along Highway 16 heading for B.C. Ferries were turned back in Smithers.
“We have put on a bright face and the community has been outstanding about making the best of the situation with events like Seafest,” said Pond. “But underlying this, there are very silent and real economic disasters that are still in place.”
He said the charter buses are usually booked by European charter operators who are having to view the situation from a distance.
“These are operators, from Europe primarily, who for a second year in a row have had problems fulfilling the itinerary that they’ve booked and sold so while the operators may understand completely the two incidents are extremely rare events, and not likely to be repeated back-to-back ever again, they have to be drawing conclusions from a distance … that perhaps this is too risky an area to be conducting business,” said Pond.
“We are going to have to head on the trail and sell the region not only for its many assets but for its security.”
Coun. Joy Thorkelson noted the province did spend $33 million on diking projects, mostly in the Lower Mainland. (Though hit hard by the flood, Terrace and the surrounding area only received about a $1 million in funding.)
“Now that we know where the deep parts are, we should be looking at getting our highways fixed.
“We need to make sure there are no holes in the dikes,” she said.
The city will be talking about these issues with both the province and Tourism Prince Rupert to see what can be done to prepare for the future.
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