Dual Pricing

spicyayam

Do you think higher rates for entrance fees to national parks for foreigners are justified? [ATTACH=full]2972[/ATTACH]

davita

Mugwump...I was shocked when you said BC Ferries had dual-pricing for foreigners and locals. I use them frequently when in Vancouver and only last June travelled three times to Vancouver Island and Bowen Island. I never noticed they had a dual pay-system excluding for seniors on Mon-Thur and for students with cards.....http://www.bcferries.com/files/fares/pdf_format/BCF_Fares.pdf

mugwump

You better stay shocked, because it has historically been the case unless recently changed.

Markit

I just wonder how they do their pricing? I suspect they do months of market research and guest questionnaires along with economic effect plans - Naaahhh, just kidding! I reckon it's just some idiot sitting in an office sees how many came last year and figures how much extra dosh they'll have if they increase the prices 8 times. I won't go and I'll tell all I know also not to bother. Park was a waste of time last time I went anyway - empty cages with pictures of animals that had either died out or been taken into hiding to protect them from poachers. Idiots!

davita

I've been travelling on BC ferries since 1986 (Expo) and became a landed immigrant in 1991 and citizen 1995, and don't recall dual pricing for non-residents ..but I never paid much attention either. About 7 years ago my Indonesian brother and sister-in-law visited and we went to Victoria. I would have remembered if their fare was different as I paid for the whole car and passengers in advance. I'd be re-educated if you had something to show your point.

mugwump

Seriously now did you really think that I meant that they discriminated by virtue of the individual's nationality? You paid according to the license plate on the vehicle. Ask anyone you happen to know in Alberta that has visited Victoria.

mugwump

No, I think it is ridiculous. Do I think it is unique.........hardly. The govt. of British Columbia, Canada does the same thing to foreigners on their ferry system, and foreigners to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing that are not Chinese must pay more. All Chinese from anywhere pay the same lower fee, and there are probably examples in other places doing likewise. I recently took a couple from Poland to Benoa to visit the mangroves, but they refused to pay and left. The fee to the National Park is probably the most outrageous, but so are the differences in prices of domestic foodstuffs commonly purchased by foreigners, but not part of the Balinese diet The price of broccoli domestically grown in Bedugal is more expensive in the supermarkets (ugh?) here than in my home state of Washington in the U.S. where prices ain't that cheap. All of us could make the case for gouged prices for products made or grown in Indonesia but not part of the local menu.

mugwump

Amazing how your recall comes and goes.

davita

Can you put some meat on the bones of your post #9

davita

Seriously now did you really think that I meant that they discriminated by virtue of the individual's nationality? You paid according to the license plate on the vehicle. Ask anyone you happen to know in Alberta that has visited Victoria.

Seriously now....I drove my friend's Seattle plated car to Bowen Island a couple of years ago as they'd arrived by boat and pre-positioned their car at my place in Vancouver. I didn't pay any more than if it were my own BC plated car. The nice thing is you only pay one way...it's free to return. They arrived on their own boat, left it moored in the marina for the winter, and didn't pay to return on the ferry...not a bad deal. Here is an archive of BC Ferry fares going back to 2008...nowhere does It mention discriminatory pricing based on vehicle license plates. http://www.bcferries.com/travel_planning/fares/archive.html You friends from Alberta may have been confused and gone on the Washington State Ferry system but I don't think they discriminate either...I've often travelled on them with my BC plates and not found any price differential.

marklindsay

spicyayam wroteDo you think higher rates for entrance fees to national parks for foreigners are justified? [ATTACH=full]2972[/ATTACH]

It's just a skin tax. Happens the world over. India is a real outstanding example of this . A bit like a "members " rate, annoying but often unavoidable..