Ferry cutback proposals may undercut British Columbia Tourism ambitions

"Trip Advisor is going to have a field day with this one" -- a definitive quote from Les Leyne's article for the Victoria Times Colonist,  addressing the theme of change and potential impact of BC Ferries cutbacks. 

While Mayor Mussallem prepares to make the North Coast case for a reversal of proposed BC Ferries cuts, the southern media front is holding up its end of the blitz, with a number of high profile British Columbia journalists tearing apart the BC Liberals blue print for the ferry service.

The journalists of the south providing some hard hitting reviews of a Ferry Corporation and Provincial government that seem to be mis-handling Ferries issues with a regular pace.

With some of the most interesting of reviews on the topic of the cut backs and the process involved with it, coming from word processors of some of the heavy hitters of the major newspapers of Vancouver and Victoria.

Leading off the commentary is Stephen Hume, of the Vancouver Sun who has provided for a trio of insightful columns thus far on the current theme.

BC Ferries austerity program is based on false assumptions
Who is charring the course for BC Ferries?
BC Ferries a bloated, inefficient and recessionary drag on the province

Over at the Vancouver Province, columnist Michael Smyth expanded on the backlash brewing for the province with European tour operators particularly confused with the province's approach to the tourism sector.

European tour operators who have already booked clients are furious over B. C. Ferry cuts

However, the most scathing of the reviews come from Victoria Times-Colonist's Les Leyne, who tears apart the provincial blue print and highlights how it may impact the province's tourism sector rather dramatically.

Take the Circle Tour of Embarrassment

The development that provided for Leyne's evisceration of the Liberals Ferries ambitions, was the announcement from BC Ferries that the MV Nipmkish would take to the Circle Tour duties, a vessel which clearly is not quite the thing of the lap of luxury for the province's tourists.

All of the contributions of the last few weeks should be required reading for BC Ferries executives and the Provincial Government, for all their studies and consultations, the review found through the province's top columnists probably offers up some of the best research on the topic at hand.

More items of note on BC Ferries developments on the North Coast  can be found on our Archive Page

Cross posted from the North Coast Review