No Yarmouth ferry forces bus tour company to cancel planned Nova Scotia trips

A U.S. based bus tour company is confirming that it’s cancelled three tours to Nova Scotia because there is no ferry between Maine and Yarmouth, and no sign that one is starting any time soon.

Friendship Tours, based in Bloomfield, Connecticut, had struck a partnership deal with the Nova Star ferry to provide three bus tours to Nova Scotia this summer. But that deal was thrown into doubt when the Nova Scotia government didn’t renew it’s contract with the ferry company to provide service between Yarmouth and Portland, Maine.

“We cannot promote a product without a ferry,” said Natalie Flint of Friendship Tours. “It’s disappointing.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We cannot promote a product without a ferry," said Natalie Flint of Friendship Tours. "It's disappointing."

Flint said the company wanted to provide tours with a new ferry operator, but were still waiting to hear when a new ferry will begin crossings, and they simply couldn’t wait any longer.

Tourism boost for Yarmouth

The bus tours in June, July and August included a ferry crossing to Nova Scotia with tourists spending at least one night in the Yarmouth area. The tour company said they had received significant interest for two of the planned tours, but the third had not been sold.

Neil MacKenzie, general manager for Yarmouth and Acadian Shores Tourism Association, says the delay in scheduling ferry crossings is disappointing, but he still has confidence in Bay Ferries.

“We’re still extremely confident we will have a ferry, but what the situation is now is we don’t have a schedule for the ferry, so I can understand tour companies having to go and consider cancelling,” he said.

WATCH: On Jan. 7, 2016 Minister Geoff MacLellan says lack of ferry won’t hurt marketing, ticket sales

MacKenzie said that in 2014, there was 14 per cent increase in room rentals in the Yarmouth area, and another six to seven per cent increase in 2015, something he credits to the ferry. He added that businesses in the area are simply being forced to wait to make plans such as hiring staff, because there is no schedule yet.

“Do we feel pressure? Yes. Are we concerned that there’s no scheduled ferry in place? Yes, but I am confident that there will be one scheduled in time,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Do we feel pressure? Yes. Are we concerned that there's no scheduled ferry in place? Yes, but I am confident that there will be one scheduled in time," he said.

Still no ferry word

Last October, transportation minister Geoff MacLellan announced that the government had awarded the contract for ferry services to Bay Ferries Limited.

A new boat was supposed to be announced before Christmas, but so far there’s been no announcement.

READ MORE: No ferry? No problem for Yarmouth-to-Portland service, says MacLellan

The government sank $39.5 million into Nova Star but cancelled the contract last year citing increasing costs and low ticket sales.

Nova Star Cruises ended up owing creditors millions of dollars with dozens of claims filed against the company in U.S. courts.

Flint said Friendship Tours had no choice but to cancel the trips because of the uncertainty over when a new ferry will begin service. Advertising and booking for tours usually takes place a year in advance.

“It’s just too late now but there is hope for next year,” she said. “There’s always 2017.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's just too late now but there is hope for next year," she said. "There's always 2017."