Businesses that don't accept credit cards left out of Traveller's Guide
A western Newfoundland bed and breakfast owner says new provincial regulations will be costly for some tourism operators, because they do not accept credit or debit cards.
Peter Fenwick, former head of the bed and breakfast association, says some small bed and breakfasts have been excluded from the print edition of province's Travel Guide because they don't accept payments through credit or debit cards.
Last month, a number of operators spoke out after they had been excluded from the 2015 Traveller's Guide because they hadn't submitted insurance information.
- Dozens of businesses left out of 2015 N.L. Traveller's Guide
Fenwick said those that are not included in the guide could see a drop in revenue as a result.
"The first year we weren't in the guide because we were too late to get it in there, and our sales that year were only one quarter of what they were the next year when we were in the guide," he said.
"So my guess is that they'll see a very significant hit in terms of the amount of business they'll have - perhaps as much as 50 per cent or even more."
Fenwick told CBC News that the cost of installing and paying for credit card machines can be too much for a small establishment.
"It's a big chunk of the revenue of a bed and breakfast that may have the income of, say, $20,000 or $30,000 a year," he said.
"On that basis, the very small ones, the ones that have a couple of rooms, generally try to go with cash only."
Fenwick says he plans to make his concerns known to Newfoundland and Labrador's tourism department.
He thinks Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador should have lobbied against the new rule change.
