Let’s get this right upfront. The Toronto Zoo is world-class.
It is a massive facility covering more than 700 acres within the city limits. Plenty of space equals plenty of displays, plenty of animals and plenty of room for expansion.
Our hostel in Toronto hosts thousands of backpackers every year. We are the largest Backpackers Inn in the city and we are filled to capacity in the summer and for most of the winter as well.
We do our best to promote both our hostel and the city. In the world of backpackers, word-of-mouth recommendation is a very strong factor. Toronto’s success (especially in summer) comes from the city’s free summer cultural and music festivals. So quite simply, the more popular the city, the more guests for us as well.
We have an amazing Museum and one of the top Art Gallerys in North America. There is also an enormous Island Park and a well kept, clean and safe waterfront. In fact “clean and safe” describes Toronto in general.
What a shock it was this morning to pick up the Toronto Star (Canada’s largest newspaper) and read that the Zoo has suffered a massive decline in attendance. And this after exibits have been renovated and new ones added.
As mentioned earlier, we do our best to promote Toronto attractions. We have photographs of the Toronto Zoo on our wall along with a brief description extolling the virtues of the facility. We even “talk up” our zoo when travelers ask what they should do while in Toronto.
So why do so few of our adventurous travelers choose to visit?
According to zoo officials, the recent decline in attendance can be blamed partly on the new HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) which adds a couple of bucks to the price of admission.
Ok, now listen up Zoo Officials. We’ve got a flash for you.
We’ve conducted a straw pole just today with more than 50 new travelers and an equal mumber of long-term residents. “Why haven’t you visited the Zoo? The HST perhaps?”
The fact is the HST merely adds a few dollars to an already obscene admission price! Even parking is $10. A group of six backpackers. going to the zoo can expect to pay more than $150 dollars before getting in! Add to this “extra charges” for “special exhibits” (i.e. Stingrays) and absurdly expensive prices for food and drink.
The bottom line is that backpackers who do visit usually have high praise for the Toronto Zoo. But their strongest impression (as they tell others) is it is very, very expensive. And that, discourages many. We had actually had plans to use our 14 seater van to organize a weekly “zoo event” but we had difficulty getting a full load to sign on due to the high price of admission.
Come on Zoo Officials. If you want us to promote you. At least, give us a little more to work with.
Jonno, from Oz; Mika, from Japan; and Darren, from England @ the Zoo.
Tigers photographed by Darren.
Darren (on left with hat).