Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 31 -Findings from Field ResearchOur field research included visits to roofed accommodation properties across the province andin-depth interviews with some 125 operators as well as consultation with a wide variety ofkey stakeholders in the tourism industry in the province. These consultations and interviewsprovided a variety of insights into the situation with respect to roofed accommodations in theprovince, as summarized below. There are a variety of issues related to the details of theCanada Select program and also to the province’s accommodation licensing program. Theseare discussed in Appendix I of this report and only mentioned very briefly here.Note that at the end of this section, overall conclusions are provided regarding the roofedaccommodation sector, drawing from all of the various pieces of research undertaken. Thecomments here reflect only those drawn from our consultations and interviews.Accommodations Available – Type, Quality and Facilitieso Most areas offer a variety of types and quality of accommodationo There appears to be some mis-use of the Canada Select categories of accommodation,particularly in the B&B category. Some properties are being listed and rated as B&Bseven though they serve dinner and are, therefore, inns according to the Canada Selectdefinitions. This may be one of the reasons why the accommodation inventory is onlyindicating 8 or 9 inns in the province. It also causes confusion to consumers.o Industry has concerns about inconsistencies in the rating program and there are still manymisconceptions about Canada Select.o While there are a number of high quality hotels and motels in the province, generallyspeaking the most consistent quality is found at cottages and B&Bs.o Many properties do not offer dining facilities.o Our observations suggested that the ‘curb appeal’ of many properties is limited and inneed of upgrading. Features such as poor signage, dimly lit parking lots, rough entranceroads, a lack of landscaping, and properties that did not take advantage of the views areexamples of areas of concern.o In terms of interior facilities, particular concerns that were noted was the small size ofbedrooms (particularly at B&Bs and in older hotels/motels), outdated phone systems (inolder hotels/motels), and rooms that have poor lighting and no light at the desk.OperationsSeason of Operationo Many operators are only open seasonally, despite what is suggested in the travel guide.While some are technically open, they do not provide services and appear to be closed(e.g. lights out, signs down, no one answering the phone) and shoulder and off-seasonbusiness is ‘accidental’.Room Rateso Room rates are ‘all over the map’ and appear to be set haphazardly and without anunderstanding of pricing or revenue managementTHE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study