The Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick (TIANB) is pleased the Higgs government has paved the way for a tourism levy which would be applied on accommodations in the province.
The industry has been lobbying the province for this levy which would be used to better promote tourism.
But the TIANB has some concerns.
TIANB president and CEO Carol Alderdice is disappointed the industry was not consulted when the government was drafting the legislation.
She says it appears municipalities will be collecting the levy and not industry.
Given that, she hopes the levy will be used for tourism marketing and not just go into general coffers.
The levy is expected to be a 3 or 4 percent tax which will be applied to a hotel bill.
Alderdice believes having a levy will put New Brunswick on an even playing field since neighbouring provinces and the State of Maine already have them.
Alderdice doesn’t think this tax will bother travellers that much since they are used to them in other jurisdictions.
