New tourism plan aims to make businesses accountable

A new tourism plan was unveiled Friday that aims to ensure a standard rating system levels the playing field, and that tourists get what they're looking for when visiting the province.

The province hopes the Tourism Assurance Plan will make businesses accountable for reaching the set standards province-wide.

Darlene Thomas, chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, said they need to live up to tourists' expectations.

"We want our travellers to really have a good experience all the way through their travelling the province," she said.

"It's really just to ensure that our traveller walks away and gets what they expected when they made their decision to come here."

Joe O'Brien of O'Brien's Boat Tours said the planshould help tourists feel more comfortable with local businesses.

"It sets a standard for our industry to tell the world that we're open for business and that we're good at what we do and we're very delighted to take care of them," he said.

"People want to feel very secure when they're going out on a boat, and with any other sort of adventure they want to feel the same security."

Thomas said if a business in the province does not meet the minimum requirements they will be removed from marketing campaigns.

"If they don't, then they will not be listed in the provincial marketing programs and will not be able to be a member of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador."

She said removing a business from ads would not be ideal, so they're givingthem sometime to ensure they meet the set standards.

"It won't be implemented until May of 2014, so we're giving all of our members ample time to learn what's required," Thomas said.