Uncertainty surrounding sightseeing boat tours going forward has created a great deal of angst amongst area operators.
While an Orillia business is throwing in the towel on a lost season, a Midland boat tour company hopes to get going in the next week or so.
“My whole season is done,” said Tom Gostick, who owns Orillia Boat Cruises that operates sightseeing cruises aboard the Island Princess, a double-decked, 200-passenger, riverboat-style vessel.
“All the advanced bookings are gone: Weddings, parties, special events, all cancelled and refunded.”
The 300-passenger Miss Midland had originally hoped to begin offering sightseeing tours of Georgian Bay’s 30,000 Islands earlier this month.
“The Miss Midland July 1st tentative start date has been delayed,” the boat’s operator Midland Tours Inc. posted on its website. “We are anticipating cruises will begin mid-July.”
A company representative said there are "still no updates but we should know by next week."
A notice on its website reads, "In these unprecedented and challenging times, we must do what we can to support the country’s efforts to lessen the impact of COVID-19. We are closely monitoring the Public Health Agency of Canada and Public Health Ontario statements regarding COVID-19 and will comply with all policies and directives set by our governments.”
A Parry Sound cruise operation, 30,000 Islands Cruise Lines, was also ready to go July 1 with its 550-passenger vessel. The company had even started advertising on television, but was told they would have to wait until the government announced Stage 3.
Until then, the business has shifted gears and now offers ferry trips to nearby Huckleberry Island aboard a 40-passenger Zodiac-style boat.
Unlike the Miss Midland and Island Queen that book special events, but also enjoy a strong walkup business, Gostick said his family-owned business relies heavily on pre-booked events.
“The casino is closed, the nursing homes are big clients and they are locked down, the bus tour companies are closed and all the groups are cancelled,” he said.
As well, he said that with the Orillia Opera House being closed until next year, destination marketing packages that would have seen tour groups take in a play performance and a boat cruise during a visit just aren’t happening.
“All the town’s special events are cancelled,” he said, noting there were 1,600 Sunshine Getaway packages sold last year.
“They are cancelled and refunded so those packages are gone. To even make things worse, the city of Orillia has imposed a $50 parking charge for out-of-towners, so even walk-ons are done.”
Gostick said his boat is now worth more money by the pound as scrap than it is on the water.
“Who would buy an asset in this market and then try to rebuild a business?” he asked. “So much for my retirement plans. The boat was worth maybe $650,000. Now, on a good day, maybe $200,000.”
Gostick said this has become a common refrain among businesses and resorts that aren’t planning to reopen because they rely on the warmer weather for either all or the bulk of their annual revenues.
“We have a five-month season,” he said. “July and August are the source of 75 percent of our business. From May 24 ‘til Thanksgiving, we do in five months what most folks make in 12 so we are especially hard hit.”
Gostick expects this will lead to lots of permanent closures for “border-line” businesses that were working close to the edge.
“Tourism needs help, especially folks that now have toxic assets like boats, etc.” he said, before adding, “Seventy-three years old and thinking of applying at McDonalds.”
