Nova Star Cruises releases summer passenger totals
Total passenger numbers overall down six per cent compared to last summer
Nova Star Cruises drew fewer people to its ferry between Yarmouth, N.S. and Portland, Maine, this summer than it did in its troubled first year.
Nova Star reports 10,999 Canadians sailed in 2014, but that dropped 40 per cent to 6,650 in 2015.
The number of American and international passengers increased by six per cent, from 29,348 in 2014 to 31,150 in 2015.
Between the two, the number of travellers overall decreased by six per cent, from 40,347 in 2014 to 37,800 in 2015.
The company's monthly activity report, released Tuesday, states the "disappointing" number of Canadian travellers on board the ferry is mainly attributed to the Canadian dollar's drop in value.
The report compares passenger numbers for the months of June, July and August of this year with those of last year.
On Aug. 27, the company received a draw of $1.5 million from the Nova Scotia government as part of the $13 million for the 2015 season. In the report, the company says that money was used for "continuing operations".
Nova Star Cruises says it is preparing for the 2016 sailing season by registering and attending travel and trade shows. But the province's decision about whether Nova Star Cruises will be awarded the operational contract for that season hasn't been made.