From the Toronto Star:
Tucked between Screamers House of Horrors, a $12.95 prime rib special and a slew of motels with heart-shaped Jacuzzis is a near-empty parking lot where the attendants, on the first Saturday in June, are parked on lawn chairs.
The odd vehicle cruises by on the once-gridlocked main drag.
Mike Piccirillo, who owns four downtown parking lots that would be jam-packed with U.S. licence plates in years past, waves two 20-dollar bills in the air to show his brother how business is that sunny afternoon.
“It’s dead around here. After my expenses, this is all the money that’s left over. It’s ridiculous,” he says.
“Everybody’s hurting,” adds his brother, Charlie Piccirillo.
“Heaven forbid if the currency ever hits par with the U.S.”
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Here’s an idea, how bout reducing the prices to attract Americans instead of the typical gouging that goes on in the tourist district all year round.
You really wonder when the local businesses are going to undertake the paradigm shift and try to compete in areas other than simply price. If the dollar hits par, what’s the plan? If we can’t compete based purely on a bargain currency, then what’s the plan? I’m sure it’s not impossible to offer enough value and quality in the local market that will attract people regardless of where the dollar is, but I think we’re so used to being seen as a cheap-destination that it’s hard to break out of that way of thinking.
I think it’s far from doom and gloom, and I don’t think all the “sky is falling” talk is going to help the city promote itself.
If its this bad now, how much worse would it have gotten had the passport plan not been pushed back? I dont think Niagara Falls is AT ALL considered a cheap destination. Its actually very highly priced, if you search the net someone could easily visit Mexico, Vegas, Smokey Mountains,Cedar Point, Disney etc… for far under the cost a summer time vacation would cost to visit Niagara Falls,Ontario. I agree when the US dollar was doing well, it was a “cheap” destination. But this hasnt been the case the last 2 1/2-3 years. I think a focus should be put on increasing package offers. It seems like you can find 2 or 3 night packages at hotels, but they dont offer much beyond discounted room stays. I also think the casinos should start offering free drinks, to be on par with most major casinos.
“If the dollar hits par…” As far as I am concerned, it has already done that….long time ago. Yes, we have our taxes here in the States. I am used to that….can’t get around it. We have a 7% sales tax here in Pittsburgh, but not on food or clothing. We are paying approx. 15% at the Falls on everything…so there is an additional 8% and let’s not forget the 3% FOREIGN transaction fee that the U. S. banks are charging on the use of our charge cards, which we use while we are traveling. So bottom line, as of today, we are over our dollar 11%. I guess I would save 3% if I didn’t use a charge card and pay cash for everything. Does this make sense or is my analogy all wrong?
You’re pretty much right Karen.
However parity is important here because it’s going to hit that psycological level for the locals. Taxes aside, most attractions and hotels here still tried to give the impression that US money would get you more and they’d compete with their exchange rates. Once that’s taken away from them they’re going to have to figure out how they go forward. I don’t think it’s impossible to remain attractive but it seems like we’ve got more complaining and doomsaying in the media than we do potential solutions.
The only real solutions are lowering prices and or taxes in the area. This wont and cannot happen because there simply arent the amount of tourists coming as they used too. Its a bad situation, that is going to be near impossible to fix. I think they should have offered GST rebate until after Labor Day, maybe only offer it in summer?
I like the idea of package deals, yes I know they are already doing this to an extent on Clifton hill but they could offer more variety and more advertising of the packages. It wouldn’t be hard to INCLUDE tax in the price of the package so that guests do not feel like they are paying more than they should. Hotel packages, meal plans, entertainment packages geared for kids and adults, this is the stuff that many resorts such as Disney offer and what helps to draw the crowds. If people pay one price for their food, hotel and entertainment they will be more likely to spend on the extras such as souvenirs, gifts and other things, as of right now the spending on these things is probably very little since the area charges so much for the basic needs on a trip, which leaves little room for extra spending. Especially for food when people find out what it costs to eat on Clifton Hill they get a bad taste. Since people are feeling that they are being nickel and dimed for every little thing on the hill and in other areas around here, they will not spend for the extras and then they come home with a bad taste in their mouths.
Niagara suffers from a lack of quality package deals. Its like you said, “nickel and dimed” is very true. Hoco can offer package deals, however if you inspect closely the packaged deals they offer are not that great of a savings at all. Even the casinos arent that great at giving “comps” to players. It just makes it hard to justify spending. But if you are like me, you love the area and spend what needs to be spent to enjoy yourself right? I think its probably not making the best impression on families right now, who may visit once and then never return because everything costs so much.
Let me correct myself, I had not looked recently, however On Cliftonhill.com it appears they are offering two very nice packages at the moment. The marineland package and two night getaway deals look better than anything Ive seen in the past offred. My apologies for a statement that was not accurate.
I really have to agree with everyone on here about prices, even if you do get families here, nobody wants to come back and pay those kind of prices again. And as far as advertising goes, every other billboard up in the city since the beginning of Winter has been from the Seneca run Casinos… and I am not exaggerating at all. I haven’t seen one advertisement other then little blurbs in the paper regarding Cirque Niagara at all, it was plastered all over the city last year. Niagara Falls has had to endure so much over the last few years that places like Las Vegas never have to deal with, and it would have crippled most smaller destinations by now, but this place still keeps chugging along. However the old saying that you can actually start a recession just by convincing people that they are already in a recession, applies here. I have never felt sorry for those people who are quoted in the paper as saying that they have only made 20 dollars at there crappy over priced parking lots when they have never done anything to make this a more affordable vibrant place to visit, they only took advantage of those tourists who just wanted to park and enjoy the surroundings without spending a dime on their half grass, half gravel property. And now they don’t have enough people to fill their so called parking lots and they cry about it. These are the same people that have always had a “me” attitude, and don’t actually contribute to the betterness of the city, they just complain because they are no longer making money hand over fist anymore. And to think they have just added 2 new parking lots in the Fallsview district? I have been told for years that the biggest problem in Niagara Falls is that all of the business owners hold a self-seeking, self-interested stance when it comes to issues regarding the tourist sector, this needs to change in order to make this a more viable destination. Problem is would they go back to their self preservation if times were good again?
You are so right. In my opinion the city is pricing itself out of ever being a place people consider coming back to. Its becoming a place people will visit once, then never return. How can an average family of four afford to visit the city without saving for an entire year? Then show up, and get taxed and gouged beyond belief, and expected to ever come back?
I agree with all of you, you cannot enjoy the attractions because there is no where FREE to park. Did they ever think that maybe if it was free (or low cost) and people were able to get out of their cars and walk around that they would spend more money and that would make up for the loss of money on parking fees. From reading posts on various amusement ride related message boards parking is a big gripe all around and it certainly makes people bitter about a trip anywhere. You cannot rip a person off for parking before they have even barely seen the destination they are at! Its very easy to overlook the whole Clifton Hill area when an easy, free parking place is non-existant, people will just drive right through and not even bother. Better control of cars on the hill, Better and more informative signs, better traffic flow, (they really should have traffic directors and crossing guards), and better control of pedestrians would also make the experience much more pleasant and people would be more likely to come back. Right now its seen as a crowded and poorly handled, and extremely overpriced vacation spot.
I know we avoid the hill in the summer due to parking issues and excessive, and not properly controlled traffic, we go over in fall and winter when its less crowded (since I am only usually visiting the Skylon Tower anyways). If parking was free and traffic was controlled to the point where you actually felt safe then I would be 100% more likely to make trips to Clifton hill and the surrounding area in the summer. We have gone to the Skylon in the summer and it takes like an hour or more of sitting in traffic just to get to the border coming back from the Skylon which on a non-crowded winter day takes about 5-10 min if that, I have since learned my lesson not to go in the summertime now!
People look for value in a package deal now for vacations, vacation-goers now have the internet and many other resources at their fingertips to plan a vacation or a weekend out so value is considered more than ever. The age-old practice of take all the tourists money and run does not work anymore in this day and age, it just turns people off and those people go and spread that destination x is a terrible, overpriced and poorly run vacation destination and that you should pick somewhere else to go.
What’s really strange is Niagara does keep chugging along. RevPAR is actually up (slightly though) over last year if you can believe it. Occupancy is down a bit, but the average room rate has increased enough to still be making more money than last year. I think many operators see it as a “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” kind of situation. Problem is - there are many broken spots, and I think we’ve covered the main one in value.
All this talk is reminding me of the chapters in “Niagara: A History of the Falls” by Pierre Berton where they described the years of early tourism. You couldn’t walk far along the Gorge without having to pay someone a toll.
My recent favorite is the “free” greenhouse where you have to pay $6.00 to park. And it’s absolutely rediculous to have to pay to park at the hotel where you’re staying. It’s not like you’re seeing an attraction - you’re paying to sleep there - should you have to find somewhere else for your car to “stay”? The parking lot is now like a “car hotel”. I think they should wash and vacuum our cars like they do our rooms.
I don’t have a lot of comparison to other tourist destinations. For all I know, vacations other places are the same if not worse. New tourists don’t expect more of Niagara. We are seeing Niagara become what other destinations already were. The difference is that we know what Niagara used to be - a true jewel. Beautiful, affordable and family freindly.
It’s like a celebrity that’s forgotten their small-town roots. We’re the relatives left behind with photos of what our loved one used to be like. We barely recognize her behind the lights of the casinos and the cash being thrown around. But like fame, maybe it will fade and the celebrity will be back to what it once was. The swelled head will come back to reality and realize that slow and steady wins the race. Niagara should be like a character actor who works for a lifetime - not a Paris Hilton who desperately wants and gets the attention but crashes in the end.
Hi Karen, although I have a distaste for high price, I have to comment on your statement regarding parking. ALL major cities, charge for parking. Have you been to New York City, Toronto, or any other major city? Parking spots are at a premium in Niagara hence the price, but checks and balances will come to play whereas competition and convienence dicate the price… You won’t get charged $20 for parking if the guy across the street charges $6.
Supply & Demand, It’s the Democratic way…
Packages, with Parking included also help give more percieved value to hotel stay packages