Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador says it continues to lobby the federal government to lower the percentage of Marine Atlantic’s cost recovery from consumers.
On Thursday, Marine Atlantic announced it will be increasing its fuel surcharge by an additional three per cent on April 1, bringing it to 18 per cent.
“It is disheartening to see that year after year, under varying circumstances, the bottom line cost to Marine Atlantic travellers has continually increased,” Hospitality NL chair Dion Finlay said in a news release.
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“Marine Atlantic serves as a vital link between this province and the rest of Canada and is a primary gateway for growing inbound tourism. It is important not only for the future growth and development of the tourism industry, but also for all residents and industries in this province.”
The organization says Marine Atlantic’s funding needs to be set in place for a extended amount of time.
In additional to enabling long-term planning, the funding should allow for pricing that does not erode the level of service or deter travellers, and be sufficient to drive continuous improvement and cost efficiency in the service, Hospitality NL says.
