From the memory hole VIII

From the 1974 Report of the Royal Commission on Labrador, pp. 796-797:

DRAWBACKS TO THE INDUSTRY

In a vast northern land with magnificent scenery, highly attractive sports fishing and impressive possibilities for development of several untouched aspects of tourism, the industry faces these drawbacks in Labrador today:

1. No important Provincial or Federal parks;

2. Building restrictions which place the construction and acquisition of tourist camp facilities beyond the reach of all but a very few residents;

3. No adequate training for guides, tourist camp operators, service personnel;

4. No capitalization on the skills and qualities of native people;

5. Lack of awareness on the part of many coastal Labrador people of the potential of tourism;

6. A coastal boat schedule that allows visitors only the most cursory shore visits;

7. An almost complete absence of adequate tourist accommodation in most coastal communities;

8. A ferry service across the Straits that acts almost as a deterrent to tourism;

9. Lack of a Government tourist development presence in Labrador;

10. Lack of a Labrador tourist development organization;

11. An almost complete absence of coastal air strips that prevents tourism by private plane;

12. Inadequate communication in much of Labrador to service the needs of tourists;

13. A frequent shortage of hotel accommodation in the larger centres;

14. Lack of handicraft and local food items for sale in most communities;

15. An absence of a concerted tourist promotion program on the part of the Province and transportation companies serving Labrador;

16. Lack of development capital;

17. A short season and virtually no serious attempt yet to promote off-season activities;

18. Lack of aggressive promotion of special tours to Labrador;

19. A manifest lack of Government concern of any significance for the preservation or redevelopment of sites of historica1 importance, or for the preservation of important historica1 materials;

20. Lack of basic research data on fresh water fish resources, and on most aspects of the industry in Labrador;

21. Lack of overland transportation to Labrador except by rail to Labrador West, which is not aggressively promoted as a tourist route;

22. A concern among residents of some coastal communities that leases and licenses have been offered by the Government at the expense of involvement in the tourist industry by Labrador residents;

23. Concern that there will inevitably be a serious confrontation between commercial and sports fishing interests and that the Labrador residents who have traditionally relied on the sea for their livelihood will be the losers in some areas.