Pandemic ‘devastating’ for whale-watching firms
VICTORIA — As whale-watching companies cautiously count down to a possible reopening on July 1, many are saying the economic damage from the pandemic shutdown has already been severe — and possibly fatal for some.
“It’s devastating,” said Jennifer Steven, who owns The Whale Centre in Tofino. “We’ve already lost April, May and half of June. We’ve lost about 60 per cent of our international bookings for the summer. It’s hard to sleep at night.”
Steven has already trimmed her fleet in half, to three vessels, and hasn’t recalled any of her 15 staff.
With the province closing all natural hot springs to visitors, that’s also cancelled a popular and lucrative day trip.
And while the whales are plentiful, and bear and eagle sightings are common for her wildlife tours, the industry remains at a standstill.
The federal government is expected to lift its ban on marine vessels with a capacity of more than 12 passengers on June 30, but the industry will still need clearance to start from the province.
“We’re hopeful. We need this approval,” said Ian MacPhee, chief accountant for Prince of Whales, the largest whale-watching company in the Pacific Northwest.
“Our bread and butter for the entire year is operating over four months. We are already into that (time period) and we are all at zero revenue,” said MacPhee, who is also chairman of Tourism Vancouver Island.
He said it’s hoped that federal and provincial subsidies will continue, or many in the tourism sector, particularly whale watching, “won’t make it through the winter.”
Steven echoed that sentiment, saying, “the province has been alluding to a bailout for tourism … It would be nice to know what that is.”
She fears many of her staff won’t get enough working hours this summer to qualify for employment insurance over the winter.
“As a business, your most valuable assets are your staff,” said Steven. “There’s not a lot of work in Tofino during the winter, so losing staff would be very hard.”
The Pacific Whale Watching Association has put together a COVID-19 plan for reopening, including reduced seating to 50, the use of masks, and strict cleaning protocols.
Nathan Bird, general manager at Eagle Wing Tours, said the company operating out of Fisherman’s Wharf will offer discounts to start the season.
The company will operate 26- and 50-passenger vessels, but only at half capacity.