Lack of Yarmouth ferry leads U.S. operator to cancel bookings

A tour operator from Connecticut has cancelled dozens of room reservations at the Rodd Grand Hotel in Yarmouth over concerns there may not be a ferry service between Nova Scotiaand Maine this summer.

In an e-mail exchange between the tour organizer and the hotel, Natalie Flint ofFriendship Tours cites the lack of a ship as the reason for the cancellation.

"Our program was packaged to include travel aboard the Nova Star," she wrote. "Now that they are no longer in service and the new ferry system has not been confirmed yet, we must unfortunately cancel the space."

Tourism Association worried

The company had reserved a block of 26 rooms forthree separate nights in June, July and September.

NeilMacKenzie, the general manager of theYarmouthand Acadian Shores Tourism Association, forwardedthe email to Geoff MacLellan,Nova Scotia's transportation minister.

MacKenzie was concerned Bay Ferries, the operator the province choselast Octoberto run the new service, still hasn't found a ship for the run.

"This is evidence that the process of cancellations is beginning and the losses to the tourism industry will begin to mount," he toldMacLellan in theemail. "I expect that more cancellations will occur as time goes on without a vessel announcement."

'No doubt'ferry will run

But the minister was adamant there will be ferry service this season.MacLellan told reporters on Wednesday he had "no doubt" about this coming season.

"I've been contacted directly by a number from the U.S. and from Canada that have suggested that they wanted to have assurances that the service was going to be in place," he said. "We given them those assurances."

MacLellan spoke about theFriendship Tours cancellations.

"I'm not sure what was the deciding factor that made that decision," he said. "My understanding is that they're looking to come back for 2017."

The minister offered no specific insight into why Bay Ferries seem to be having trouble securing a ship.

"It's a complicated process," he said. "It's one that we've got to make a good decision."

He left the details toMark MacDonald, CEO of Bay Ferries.

"We're not getting an indication from Bay Ferries that it's time for concern and when we have a vessel, he'll let us know."