Tourism operators look for a season
Ocean View Hotel and Bontours didn’t open in 2020
ROCKY HARBOUR — By the time June rolls around Todd Wight’s Ocean View Hotel in Rocky Harbour will have been closed for 18 months.
That’s 18 months without revenue and rebuilding the business won’t be easy as the uncertainly around the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
But Wight is ready to get at it.
“It’s been a long time,” he said.
Wight’s main market has traditionally been in motor coach tours and trade tourism.
Bookings he had for June and July have already been cancelled and if the province doesn’t open to more than the Atlantic bubble, he figures there will be more cancellations.
The province’s tourism advisory council has requested a July 1 opening date to the rest of Canada if vaccinations stay on track.
“Even if we’ve got to change it, just announcing it has a trickle affect,” said Wight.
It convinces people to book with the hotel and, in turn, to book flights which play a role in airlines deciding to open flights and routes.
As he waits for that his focus in the early season will be on local traffic, staycationers and the Atlantic market, depending on how that moves.
He’s considering opening during the first week of June but will wait to officially announce until he sees what will happen with the Atlantic bubble.
“Without the announcement by the province, people just don’t make bookings.”
But there has been interest and that’s good, and Wight anticipates seeing more as the province focuses its tourism marketing on the Atlantic region.
He said the province and its various tourism regions and sub-regions, including Gros Morne and its individual operators, will have a presence at the Saltscapes East Coast Expo, which is happening virtually from April 30 to May 2.
“So, we’re trying to drive some activity.”
He’ll also be working with some of the area’s partners like Anchors Aweigh, Bontours and others in the region to see what their plans are.
He said some smaller operations can open full scale.
“But for us it’s a huge ramp up. Just to open the doors you’re looking at a significant financial investment.”
There’s a lot of prep work to be done in cleaning and maintenance and renovations to meet the COVID-19 requirements that weren’t done last year.
For now, his plan is for a scaled opening that will enable him to maintain some staff.
“Staff are concerned.
They’ve been a long time without employment and our staff are the most valuable asset we’ve got,” he said.
“It’s going to be difficult to get back to 2019 staffing levels unless things really open up.
“But we’ve got to try and get through and maintain until hopefully 2022 brings some brighter days,” he said.
With the prospect of the Atlantic bubble and an extension of the wage subsidy program, Bontours has also decided to reopen this year.
The Norris Point-based company offers tours of Bonne Bay and operates a water taxi passenger service between Norris Point and Woody Point.
Its Cat Stop restaurant is located right on the waterfront in Norris Point and it also operates boat tours of Western Brook Pond.
Manager Dana Fudge said an extension of the wage subsidy last summer came after the decision to not open was made.
“It’s almost like we were behind the ball.”
She said not opening was hard on the company’s bottom line.
“So, we’re hoping to recover some this year.”
Fudge said the Cat Stop will open later in May for the Trails, Tales and Tunes Festival and the Bonne Bay boat tours and water taxi will open in June.
But there’s been no decision made on the Western Brook boat tour. At peak season the company runs five tours a day on two boats that can hold 99 people each.
“Right now, we’re still trying to crunch numbers and see if it’s even feasible.”
She said it would help if the Atlantic bubble was open, and while the company is ready to take a chance with opening, it will take it slow.
“We’re just trying to hope for the best.”