The province’s tourism industry was just starting to recover from two years of travel and public health restrictions which severely limited operations when inflation hit.
The Chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, Brenda O’Reilly, says the local industry is starting to bounce back from two very difficult years and while business is up, it’s still not at 2019 levels. That’s because tourism and hospitality operators are continuing to encounter challenges including restricted air travel, a labour crunch and skyrocketing inflation.
She says it is stalling growth in their bottom line.
The cost of cooking oil went up by 40 per cent this year says O’Reilly, while the cost of cod doubled when Russian cod was cut from the local market.
Meanwhile, the tourism minister is set to make a funding announcement this morning for operators. Minister Steve Crocker will provide details starting at 11:00 a.m. at Marble Mountain in Corner Brook.