Record tourism on P.E.I.? Not for one area

The P.E.I. tourism industry may have enjoyed a record summer this year, but not everybody is reaping the financial rewards.

The Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce (EPEICC) says reduced ferry service between Wood Islands, P.E.I. and Caribou, N.S., had a negative impact on tourism for the region.

"While the province was busy congratulating itself on one of the most successful tourism seasons ever, there was a region of the province that was unable to share in the benefits — and that was Southern Kings County," said Keir White, president of the EPEICC in a news release.

The MV Holiday Island spend the summer undergoing repairs in Quebec, leaving only the MV Confederation to make the daily crossings.

"The tourism industry in this region is reliant on the ferry service more than any other. Because visitors to the Island did not feel confident in the reliability of the service, and were put off by long lineups, many completely bypassed this region."

White notes that while ferry service is down 14 per cent over last year, the impact is much worse because the figure includes the month of May, which actually saw an increase in ferry traffic.

Summer 'most critical'

"During the summer months, which are the most critical for our region, ferry traffic was actually down much more substantially," he said. "If that pre-season month is not included, the decline — and the resultant impact — is much worse."

The EPEICC does not want to see another summer go by with just one ferry. Just as the MV Holiday Island was about to return to service at the end of September, the MV Confederation experienced mechanical difficulties that put it out of commission.

Calls for replacement plan

As a result, for a few days there was no ferry service available at all.

The EPEICC is continuing to call on the provincial and federal governments to enter into discussions with Northumberland Ferries on a replacement plan for the two ferries connecting P.E.I. to Nova Scotia.

"The ferries are 25 and 45 years old," White said. "It's well past time to plan for their replacements to ensure that we have a reliable service."

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