The convenor of Orkney Islands Council has called on a ferry company and ministers to pull out all the stops to find a replacement for a lifeline ferry service which broke down.
Steven Heddle's comments come ahead of talks with the Scottish Government and ferry firm Serco NorthLink, operators of the lifeline Scrabster-Stromness ferry, on Tuesday.
Passengers also face the growing threat of industrial action this summer on the inter-island ferry services. Mr Heddle said: "Tourism businesses have been reporting cancellations because some guests are unaware of an alternative service or do not find the travel times suitable.
"This is obviously of great concern to the council as we move into the busy part of the year."
The Scrabster-Stromness ferry has been out of service since it suffered a broken crankshaft this week, and the search for its replacement has been extended to Scandinavia.
Serco has a £243 million six-year Northern Isles ferry contract for Orkney and Shetland's lifeline routes.
Meanwhile, the council-run Orkney Ferries, which provides nine inter-island services in Orkney, has been accused of treating its workforce with contempt.
The RMT union warned that the "arrogant and bullying" attitude of the company could force an escalation of action.
Management are refusing to move from their offer of a below-inflation pay award of just 1%, which unions see as a de-facto pay cut and an undermining of their staff's standards of living.
Staff have already rejected the company's proposal for any greater pay increase to be self-funded through cuts to jobs and working conditions.
They have agreed to take industrial action short of a strike.
A council spokesman said that an overtime ban, which is currently being obseved by the unions, was already creating significant difficulties for Orkney Ferries.
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