Season tough for fly-in camps

Rising fuel costs, border security, a low American dollar and recession are making it another rough season for fly-in fishing businesses in Northern Ontario.
“We’ve got what we consider a perfect storm,” said Harald Lohn of Kabeelow Lodge and Airways in Ear Falls, and president of the Kenora District Camp Owners Association. There’s been a 15 to 25 percent decline in numbers so far this season, he says, and that’s following declines from previous years.
“The numbers are down. We have the groups, but the numbers are down,” said Darlyss Kreinke of Rusty Myers Flying Services Ltd..
“A lot of the guests are tired of the border issues,” she added, pointing to past confusions over passports being required, and tighter security.
Border crossing issues are a problem, agreed Vic Davis of Northern Wilderness Outfitters, especially since fly-in fishing is built around US customers.
“We’ve run into economic downturns before. We’ve dealt with economic downturns, but we’ve never had the border security,” said Davis, who has been in the business for 40 years. “It’s going to take some time for people to get used to.
“A lot of people who want to go [fly-in fishing], can’t because they can’t get across the border,” added Davis.
One problem comes from the difficulties of crossing the border if someone has been charged with driving under the influence, he said. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, 500,395 motorists in Minnesota, or one in eight, have been charged with a DUI.
“You start doing the math, and it adds up, making our potential pool of people smaller,” said Davis.
Dave Beauscene of Nestor Falls Fly-In Outpost Ltd. says he loses around 10 to 20 thousand dollars a year because of the border. So far he says he’s had a good season, but that’s due to 80 per cent of his clients being repeat business, and from increasing his advertising and promotion.
“The biggest thing that’s killing me is the fuel prices,” said Beauscene, a problem that has affected Davis and Lohn’s businesses as well.
The low US dollar and economic recession has also cut into his profits, noted Beauscene, and he’s continually had to readjust trip prices to try and make up for that.
“I’m as busy as I’ve ever been but just not making as much money,” he said.
Government promotion of tourism is one way that the situation could be improved, said Beauscene, as well as developing smarter borders.
“Economically, it has a big dollar impact,” said Lohn. “It’s having a huge ripple impact.”
Businesses that the fly-in fishing companies get their supplies from are affected, he explained, and there’s been job loss. Decreased profits and job losses also mean a decrease in tax revenues for all levels of government.
“I’m just afraid these next few years are going to be tough for tourism,” said Davis. “Everybody’s just going to have to hunker down.”