My wife was shopping in Sidney this morning and commented that while waiting to be served, an American tourist asked if they took U.S. currency. The reply was “ Yes we do but at par.”
Now setting aside that the official current rate of exchange is $1.32, and the tourist is therefore getting ripped off, I wonder if this shop owner and perhaps others have given consideration to the impact this potentially has to create a negative view of Sidney for tourists, particularly from the U.S.
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There is a saying that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
I cannot help but wonder how much this type of marketing creates negative feelings about Sidney that get spread amongst families and friends once they get home.
In many parts of the world today you can buy using a credit card with the option to pay in your home currency.
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Merchants might want to review their practises when it comes to tourists to make it most convenient to shop in Sidney.
Alex Currie
North Saanich
