The volume, pace and sources of COVID-19 information changes daily as developments unfold on the world stage and here at home. At TIABC, we will do our very best to inform you of the work we’re doing on behalf of our members, as well as learn the impacts to your business, organization and community to inform our advocacy efforts.
With the unprecedented measures government has taken to contain and manage this pandemic, it is abundantly clear that aside from health, tourism is the first and hardest hit sector nationwide. To that end, we want to reassure you that TIABC has been working diligently with many professional colleagues around BC, along with partners in other provinces to coordinate the tourism industry’s response and recovery actions together with senior levels of government.
ADVOCACY SUMMARY
1.) TIABC has been meeting regularly with Minister Beare and her team to convey concerns and provide suggestions on how the province can help the tourism industry survive. On the issue of banning public events of 50 or more people, TIABC asked government to put a timeframe on the directive. Similar to the ban on cruise ships until July 1
st, there must be a reasonable end date (e.g. June 30/20) on the public event edict so as to avoid clients using the force majeure clause to cancel events (without penalty) well into the future. The event date directive could be adjusted as necessary.
2.) TIABC is working with DMOs, consultants and sector colleagues in an effort to quantify financial losses to our industry to date, and importantly determine the funds required to sustain tourism operators across various sectors over the duration of the crisis. Already, tourism operators in BC have collectively lost hundreds of millions of dollars in business and have or will be forced to lay off staff now and in the near future. The data collected will be used to seek financial assistance from senior levels of government to mitigate future losses or widespread business closures.
3.) TIABC and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture have activated the
Tourism Emergency Management Committee to share information, regularly adjust response and recovery plans, and to communicate these actions to the broader tourism industry.
4.) TIABC has sent a formal letter to Premier Horgan, Finance Minister Carole James and Tourism Minister Lisa Beare with a request for specific actions that the province can take to sustain the tourism industry. These actions include, but are not limited to:
- The creation of a tourism emergency contingency fund to help operators survive this extended period of uncertainty and loss;
- Stimulus funding to ensure the industry can quickly rebound once the outbreak is over;
- Temporary property tax or employer health tax reductions, tenure fee reductions/suspensions, loan payment relief, or other measures to allow tourism business operators to better manage cash flow, reduce fixed costs and retain staff during the crisis period; and
- Special one-time incremental funding for Destination British Columbia to boost marketing in key source markets, as well as to promote a domestic campaign to encourage residents to travel within their home province (when the time is right to do so).
5.) We are also working with our provincial, territorial and national counterparts on a similar request, as well as advocating for concessions on employment insurance restrictions.
6.) TIABC is preparing to distribute a media release outlining the widespread impact of COVID-19 on BC’s visitor economy.
While tourism is a resilient industry, our greatest strength is uniting together as a community. To be most effective in our advocacy efforts,
we need to hear from you. Please take the time to tell TIABC, your sector association, or regional and community destination management organizations how COVID-19 is affecting your business. This information is vital when reinforcing our requests to governments and policy makers.
Conversely, please take a few moments to complete the following survey (commissioned by the BC Chamber of Commerce, Small Business BC, Community Futures, BC Economic Development Association) to better understand the economic impacts on your business. The results will be shared with senior levels of government to help shape their response to the crisis. Note –
the survey closes Wednesday, March 18/20.
Given the evolving nature of this pandemic, TIABC will continue to monitor developments and adjust our actions as required.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by email, telephone or through our social media channels.
