16 replies to this topic

[amor de cosmos]

I wish I was a tourist:

Victoria set to pay tourists' ferry ride costs

Updated: Sat Jul. 26 2008 09:56:27
The Canadian Press

Victoria's beleaguered tourism sector is taking desperate measures to attract visitors, in the wake of BC Ferries move to hike ferry tickets by as much as 18 per cent on August 1st.

Starting Monday, Tourism Victoria is partnering with BC Ferries to offer a one-time promotion for August travel -- book two nights accommodation in Greater Victoria and Tourism Victoria will pay your way there.

Aimed at benefitting ferry users and the island economy, the move comes as B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon was talking Thursday about ferry service cutbacks to help soften the impact of rising fuel costs.

But B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell was also ruling out any relief on ticket prices for residents of Vancouver Island.

"Obviosuly we'd all like to watch as gas prices go down significantly, but for the time being I think the rates are there,'' Campbell said.

"The minister will look at what's available in terms of action,'' he said. "We're improving the ferry fleet, we're upgrading the ferry fleet for virtually all of the users, so right now I don't see any short term solutions."

For more information, click on the Tourism Victoria website.

http://www.ctvbc.ctv...080724/20080726

[VicHockeyFan]

Tourism Victoria I think is pretty much all funded by the hotel tax and members, so this is no big deal as far as taxpayers should be concerned.

Tourism Victoria is funded operationally by over 1000 Business Members (86% of operating budget), five area municipalities (Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Sidney and Esquimalt - 7% of operating budget), and Tourism British Columbia (7% of operating budget.) Tourism Victoria’s external marketing activities are funded by a two percent hotel tax.

Tourism Victoria is overseen by a 15 member Board of Directors from all sectors relating to the tourism industry. The organization’s professional staff reports to Chief Executive Officer Robert Gialloreto.

http://www.tourismvi...ent/EN/1196.asp

[Nparker]

Tourism Victoria is funded operationally by...five area municipalities (Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Sidney and Esquimalt - 7% of operating budget), and Tourism British Columbia (7% of operating budget.)

So at least 14% of their funding comes from my taxes. Then they should be offering locals a 14% reduction in BC Ferry costs as well. This would pretty much take care of the latest fare hike on the Tsawassen-Swartz bay run anyway.

[yodsaker]

Can't BC Ferries do a frequent flyer card or something like that for full-time residents and commercial enterprises?
Toll highways in many places have them for vehicles like trucks and buses gong back and forth on a regular basis.

[Nparker]

Of course they COULD but will they? Not likely. This government (and by extension BC Ferries), wrote Vancouver Island off after the last provincial election. Anyone doesn't see that is a naive fool with their head in the sand.

[spanky123]

I think that if the Empress, or Grand Pacific wanted to offer their customers a special deal with BC ferries then great. At $300+ per room per night they can afford a $70 discount over 2 or more nights. It is not up to the taxpayer to help foot the bill however.

The story is the same every year with Tourism Victoria. In May they tell us that everything is great, room rates are up and tourist traffic is fine. In July they tell us that the floor has fallen out and the taxpayer needs to cough up to help save the day. Finally in October they tell us they had another record season and they are looking forward to next year.

[martini]

Can't BC Ferries do a frequent flyer card or something like that for full-time residents and commercial enterprises?
Toll highways in many places have them for vehicles like trucks and buses gong back and forth on a regular basis.

Well you would think, but apparently it's too logical a concept.
This is a marine highway, but it sure isn't treated that way. It's ridiculous.

Go to Washington State and see how cheap their ferries are. Seems their system promotes travel and commuting.

[vandervalk]

What I'm about to say isn't the smartest approach to it, but I almost wish nobody would offer discounts and the tourism industry dropped because of BC Ferries decision.

I don't actually want this to happen and I'm all for boosting the economy but if people are stepping in to help, then it's not sending BC Ferries any message.

This might actually give BC Ferries and the BC government a wake up call.

With gas prices and ferry costs, no wonder people are opting to stay on the mainland.

I'm bringing a friend out from Toronto in August and it cost me $486 WITH taxes and fuel surcharges to fly them return. That is going to Victoria International it's also a direct flight.

There is something wrong with this picture.

[victoriaguy]

I honestly think this thread needs to be renamed. It's misleading and incorrect. Tourism Victoria is a not-for-profit organization that is partly funded through government hotel tax revenues and membership dues.

It is not a government organization, a form of government, an arm's length organization or a special operating agency. It is as much a government body as this forum is.

[G-Man]

This forum gets no tax money.

[darrylw]

I don't believe BC Ferries is at fault in anyway. The CEO is just doing what any other reasonable CEO to keep his company financially sustainable in the wake of rising fuel costs. Because it is a marine highway and transportation is an essential service, it should be the government's responsibility to absorb the rising fuel costs. BC Ferries needs to operate financially sustainably. All they are doing is exactly what the government told them to do when they privatized them and that is to become financially self sufficient and sustainable. It is absolutely no different to what any of the airlines are doing. The only difference is that airline price structuring is based on a supply and demand model. Yes, you may have got a good deal on the Victoria to Toronto run, now try Victoria to Prince Rupert and tell me the price.

Secondly, as I understand, the majority of the money that is sent to Tourism Victoria by the municipalities is largely funded by the city municipal hotel tax. So the people who are actually feeling the pinch are the travelling public, not the locals.

Here is a break down:
All fixed roof accommodations (hotels, motels, cabins, cottages, lodges, inns, bed and breakfasts etc) in British Columbia with 4 or more units are subject to an 8% provincial Hotel Room Tax. Where approved, an additional 2% tourism tax is levied by local Municipal Government on the rental of accommodations. The hotel tax does not apply to campgrounds and RV parks. There are no visitor refunds of hotel room tax. The agency that collects the tax is the Consumer Taxation Branch of the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue. 5% GST is charged over and above this for a total of 15% charged to guests checking in and out of Victoria hotels.

Finally, this is a good thing because tourism is down in Victoria and tourism funds more than just tourism industry operators.

[spanky123]

Except that BC ferries is a monopoly.

If the read the BC ferries annual report you see that company is playing a bit of a shell game. Although it is true that fuel prices have gone up, the total operation costs have been reasonably flat due to greater fuel efficiencies and operational cost savings in other areas.

Sort of like the pizza guy trying to charge you an extra 20% because anchovies have gone up 20% while ignoring the fact that other ingredients have gone down in price!

[yodsaker]

I've long thought one problem the ferry Corp has is the union stranglehold.
Pay the engineers, navigators and deckhands properly by all means, but I have heard that people get 35K a year to push a vacuum cleaner or make change for a candy bar. If so, that's the same wage as a newly-minted public school teacher.

[G-Man]

^ Public school teachers are not expected to rescue you from 6c waters wheras all BC Ferries crew are.

The problem is not BC ferries the problem is that no one is willing to try to compete with them.

I do think that the terminals should operate like an airport and that other companies can use the facility and then you can choose which one you take.

Add another company and prices will come down.

[maniac78]

^ Public school teachers are not expected to rescue you from 6c waters wheras all BC Ferries crew are.

Expected but not required as we discovered when the Queen of the North sank while the people at the helm were shagging. Don't be fooled taking a weekend course on marine safety does not make you a mariner. The coho has yet to have an incident in what like 40 years or something.

[yodsaker]

^ Public school teachers are not expected to rescue you from 6c waters wheras all BC Ferries crew are.

The problem is not BC ferries the problem is that no one is willing to try to compete with them.

I do think that the terminals should operate like an airport and that other companies can use the facility and then you can choose which one you take.

Add another company and prices will come down.

I agee, but most of them have taken a just brief course which IMO doesn't justify the wages cleaners and cashiers get. People getting $12-15/hour are perfectly capable of passing the same water safety course. BC Ferries people are getting $35K+/year because they can and because they can hold much of the province to ransom.
A good teacher can have a life-long positive influence on people in many many ways and that, IMO, has to be worth more than passing a quick course and making change for Snickers bars or pushing an Electrolux.

[Ginger Snap]

This forum gets no tax money.

The only municipal money Tourism Victoria gets goes directly to support the operations of the info centre on the inner harbour... none whatsoever to fund their marketing operations. The marketing portion of it is essentially self-funded through hotel tax money and membership dues.

When they spend money, it doesnt come from your pocket any more than the Chamber of Commerce, or the like.