Canada’s lack of a coherent re-opening plan for tourism has left Niagara Falls over a barrel, say political and business leaders from the Ontario city, who are the latest to echo the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable’s call for the federal government to announce a re-opening plan for the country.

With a second consecutive summer travel season now officially in jeopardy, many Niagara Falls attractions are in danger of permanent closure, say city officials, who state that in Niagara Region alone, “40,000 people count on cross-border tourism to put food on the table.”

Moreover, they point out that 80% of the city’s tourism revenue comes in 20% percent of the time – July through Labour Day – with Canada’s busy summer months necessary to sustain hospitality and tourism operators through the slower winter travel season.

Cutting that period short even a little bit will significantly impact their likelihood of survival, they say.

Moreover, “right across the bridge in Niagara Falls, NY, businesses are operating at full capacity,” they bristle, observing that in the US, Maid of the Mist boats are full, when the Canadian equivalent, Niagara City Cruises – is operating at only 25% capacity.

“Many families have been out of work for more than 15 months,” says Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati. “It is not just a priority for our sector, but a dire situation for Canadian border cities that a plan be put in place, that relies on science, to open the border, safely, now.”

Janice Thompson, president and CEO of Niagara Falls Tourism, says the time has come to allow and encourage vaccinated individuals – both Canadian and American – to begin exploring Canada again.

“Niagara Falls and the surrounding region relies heavily on American tourists every year,” she says. “We don’t see Americans as international visitors; they’re our neighbours and friends – and together, we operate as a seamless community… While American travellers don’t make up the majority of our visitors, they provide the vast majority of revenues to our businesses…”

Adds The Roundtable, a cross-Canadian coalition of leaders in the tourism and travel sector: “Canadian travellers, the most vaccinated people anywhere in the world, are being left out of the travel equation. Fully vaccinated foreign travellers are still unable to visit Canada, and this is leaving a devastating impact on local business. Right here in Niagara Falls, it seems travellers can explore the globe, but they can’t cross the street.”