Nova Scotia Becoming ‘Buyer Beware’ Vacation Destination – Raymond

Wednesday November 28, 2007

Halifax – NDP Tourism and Culture Critic, Michele Raymond, today asked the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Bill Dooks, why, in an era of increasing competition for tourism, his department is turning Nova Scotia into a buyer beware vacation destination.

“Yesterday the Minster announced that his government plans to repeal the Tourist Accommodations Act,” says Raymond. “In short, this government no longer wants the responsibility of ensuring that visitors to Nova Scotia have a quality experience no matter where they stay. Living up to what the minister himself describes as ‘minimal standards’ will be entirely voluntary.”

Raymond says legitimate tourism businesses around the province have been asking the province to clamp down on illegal operations for years without success.

“Now the Minister has decided that it is better to throw it out entirely, instead of enforcing the law,” says Raymond. “How can this Minister expect the Act to work when his government failed to put the resources in place to enforce it?”

Prince Edward Island recently announced it will publish its licencing inspection reports online. Dozens of destinations from Australia to the United Kingdom and most Caribbean Islands have laws requiring tourist accommodations to be licenced and inspected.

“Why is the Nova Scotia government walking away from licencing when most of our competition around the world takes the trouble to ensure visitors can count on quality when they visit?” asks Raymond.

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