Today's update includes:
- General Updates
- Important | Apply Today for the Tourism Accommodation and Commercial Recreation Relief Fund - Intake Open Until Feb.14
- Highway 1 Through Fraser Canyon Now Open Resources to Re-Activate COVID-19 Safety Plans
- Support for Indigenous Tourism BC
- COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant Extended
- Reminder | Federal Resources & Updates
- GoGreen Tip of the Week!
- 2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference | Important Updates!
- Vancouver Board of Trade | Economic Outlook Forum Key Takeaways
- Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers Meeting to Plan Recovery
- UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2022 Report Underscores the Importance of Tourism for Economic Recovery
- Free Training Course Available for Under-Employed Individuals | Share with Your Team Today!
- Dine Out Vancouver Festival 20 Anniversary Lottery
- BCHF | Destination Greater Victoria Lottery
- New Member Spotlight | Blackrock Oceanfront Resort
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News - See below!
- Hot Off the Press
- Hundreds of Thousands of Canadians are Travelling Abroad Despite Omicron
- ‘SETTING BRITAIN FREE’: U.K. scraps arrivals testing
- Airports To Return To Random Surveillance Testing Within “A Matter Of Weeks Or Even Days”
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Industry Trends and News
- Tipping Our Hat to Industry!
- ABLE BC's Executive Director, Jeff Guignard Named on Vancouver Magazine's 2022 Power 50 List!
- Shannon Rivers Joins Delta Grand Okanagan Resort
- Best Western Plus Kamloops’s Tim Rodgers Selected as 2021 Pioneer Award Winner!
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Glenn Mandziuk Appointed Chief Executive Officer at Sustainable Hospitality Alliance in London , United Kingdom
- Mark Your Calendars - see below
- Comment Card | Industry Thoughts & Feedback
- Melanie Mark Joins Historic Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers as Co-Chair
- Let's Hear it for BC HWY 1
- Canucks Name First-ever Female Assistant General Manager
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Last Laugh | A Little Something to Make Members Smile
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Highway 1 Through Fraser Canyon Now Open |
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Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon is now open to all vehicle traffic, the provincial government announced on Monday.
Depending on the destination, drivers using Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon should plan for delays of up to two hours or more due to ongoing repairs, an at-grade train crossing and sections of single-lane alternating traffic, including a temporary single-lane bridge at Jackass Mountain and Nicomen River crossing.
DBC Winter Travel Guide
To help industry navigate winter travel questions among the latest entry requirements and road closures, Destination BC has created a new Winter Travel Guide. The document provides key messaging, information and infographics, and resources for BC’s tourism industry as it relates to travel to and within BC this Winter. Topics include travel routes, trip planning, transportation, visitor servicing, health protocols, entry requirements, and proof of vaccination requirements for various activities and businesses. The document will be updated as needed, as the situation evolves.
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Resources to Re-Activate
COVID-19 Safety Plans
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go2HR is offering a complimentary COVID-19 Safety Plan Review Service to B.C.’s tourism and hospitality employers.
For other templates, signage, guidelines, and business support visit:
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Support for Indigenous Tourism BC |
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Indigenous Tourism BC will receive $3.7 million to assist with COVID-19 recovery and help Indigenous tourism fully recover to 2017-18 levels, the provincial government announced yesterday afternoon.
The funding will provide Indigenous businesses and communities with access to tourism planning, training and mentoring services. Funds will also provide support for Indigenous businesses in purchasing new digital and online tools, delivering training programs to assist businesses in developing marketable tourism products, and working with interested First Nations to develop and market tourism experiences.
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COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant Extended |
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The Province has extended the COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant and doubling supports for eligible businesses that have been ordered to remain temporarily closed through public health measures until February 16th.
Businesses that were directed to remain temporarily closed on January 18th through public health orders are eligible for up to $20,000 in total funding, based on staffing levels at the time of closure.
Eligible businesses include:
- Bars, nightclubs and lounges that do not serve full meals; and
- Event venues that had to close due to cancellations.
- Eligible fitness facilities that were ordered closed on December 22nd but can now reopen, will receive the original four-week temporary-closure grant of up to $10,000 based on staffing levels at the time of closure.
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Sign up for a complimentary GoGreen analysis with our BCHA Energy Analyst, Dylan Tomlin! |
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2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality
Conference | Important Updates!
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Please note, tickets will be sold separately for the following conference events:
- Rev Up! Hotel Pre-Conference Track
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Taking place March 9 from 8am-1pm, Rev Up! tickets offer exclusive access to content tailored specifically for accommodators, with engaging presentations and panels from industry experts and leaders across Canada’s accommodation community.
- Conference Tickets:
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Early bird rates are available until 11:59pm PT on February 1, 2022 with member, non-member, and student pricing options. Tickets include complete access to all three days of conference sessions, workshops, marketplace, and silent auction.
- Awards Gala:
- Reserve your spot for a celebratory evening that will recognize our province’s most exceptional products, services, experiences, and people, taking place the evening of Thursday, March 10, 2022.
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In Memoriam Tribute
At this year's BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference, we will be paying our respects through an "In Memoriam" slideshow tribute that honours all of those who have passed since we last met in person. We need your help to ensure that each of our industry friends are included.
How to Submit:
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Please send direct submissions to info@bctourismandhospitalityconference.com
- In your submissions, please detail the individual's:
- First and last name
- Title and company from their latest role
- An image or headshot
We will be accepting submissions until Friday, February 11th.
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Vancouver Board of Trade | Economic Outlook Forum Key Takeaways |
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The 33rd annual Economic Outlook Forum, presented by Scotiabank, brought together a stellar lineup of keynote speakers and panellists who provided a detailed, insightful and timely look at the key challenges and opportunities facing Greater Vancouver, British Columbia and all of Canada.
The BCHA team was delighted to attend this enlightening session. Read the latest blog from the VBT to learn what Scotiabank Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist Jean-Francois Perrault thinks will be a powerful driver of economic activity in Canada in 2022, and what the speakers and panelists anticipate in the year ahead.
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The annual Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers (CCTM) meeting was held on January 20, 2022 to provide a forum for federal, provincial, and territorial tourism ministers to agree on common objectives to pursue. They also reaffirmed the need for continued collaboration and support for the sector through the pandemic and towards recovery. Throughout the meeting, the ministers discussed the current context and the main challenges affecting the recovery of the tourism sector, both in the short and long term, including uncertainty surrounding the trajectory of the pandemic, the level of tourism demand, workforce challenges, and destination development.
Congratulations to the Hon. Melanie Mark on being appointed as co-chair of the committee, along with federal Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault!
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UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2022 Report Underscores the Importance of Tourism for Economic Recovery |
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The United Nations (UN) has released the 2022 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Report. According to the report, the global economic recovery is facing significant headwinds amid new waves of COVID-19 infections, persistent labour market challenges, lingering supply-chain challenges, and rising inflationary pressures.
Tourism recovery is expected to drive growth in every world region. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The sudden halt in international tourism caused by the pandemic has emphasized the sector’s importance to both national economies and individual livelihoods. The flagship UN report makes use of UNWTO data and analysis to assess the cost of declining tourism and illustrates just how important restarting tourism will be in 2022 and beyond.”
Further analysing the sector’s role in economic recovery, the UN report notes that many destinations, in particular tourism-dependent countries, will need to diversify their tourism throughout 2022 and beyond.
Again drawing on UNWTO analysis, the publication shows how many destinations are developing domestic and rural tourism to help local economies in rural and depressed areas to boost job creation and protect natural resources and cultural heritage, while at the same time empowering women, youth, and indigenous peoples.
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Free Training Course Available for Under-Employed Individuals | Share
with Your Team Today!
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This program is designed to train 30 candidates who are currently unemployed or under employed in the Metro Vancouver area and deliver them to industry trained and ready to work. The training is fully funded and will focus on readying the candidate for meaningful work in the hotel industry.
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM?
Join us Friday January 21st at 11am PST for an information and Q&A session with BCHA and Western Community College.
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REGISTRATION:
RECRUITMENT
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For hotels who may be interested in candidate recruitment during the final phase of the 23 week program, please contact Alison Langford at alison@bcha.com
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BCHF | Dine Out Vancouver Festival 20
Anniversary Lottery
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The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is pleased to announce an online lottery held in conjunction with the 2022 Dine Out Vancouver Festival. 13 lottery prizes feature top local food, wine, and accommodation, as well as events and entertainment.
- 1 for $5
- 3 for $10
- 8 for $20
- 25 for $50
Prizes draw will take place at 12 noon on February 1. The event’s gaming license number is 131440.
The BCHF thanks the local businesses that generously donated the fantastic lottery prizes. Proceeds from the lottery will support the BCHF’s charitable work, which includes providing financial assistance to hospitality workers in financial crisis due to extraordinary health conditions experienced by themselves or a family member, as well as administering a scholarship program to foster the development of the next generation of hospitality industry workers and leaders.
Partial proceeds of this lottery will be allocated to the BCHF Scholarship program and will be awarded to a student focused on tourism and hospitality.
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BCHF | Destination Greater Victoria Lottery |
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Destination Greater Victoria, The BC Hospitality Foundation and BC Restaurant and Food Services Association – Victoria Chapter are launching a lottery as part of Dine Around & Stay in Town Victoria 2022 (Dine Around).
A fundraiser for the BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF), the lottery offers bidders a chance to win prize packages that include transportation, fine dining, and luxury accommodation in Greater Victoria. There are four prize packages available. All prizes have been generously donated by Destination Greater Victoria members. Prize draws will take place at 12 p.m. on February 7, 2022.
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New Member Spotlight | Blackrock Oceanfront Resort |
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Located on a dramatic headland above the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort is surrounded by the Wild Pacific Trail and the rugged rocky coast of West Vancouver Island. The stunning Ucluelet resort is minutes from Vancouver Island’s amazing beaches, forests, restaurants and attractions, including Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach, Ucluelet Aquarium and Barkley Sound. Only 40 km from the village of Tofino. Experiences with these wild shores and dense temperate rainforest, take your spirit to a deeper level.
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Industry News & Quick Links |
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
Hundreds of Thousands of Canadians are Travelling Abroad Despite Omicron
Statistics Canada tallied 742,417 Canadian air-passenger arrivals returning home from abroad in December.
When adjusted to account for recent changes in tracking air travel, that total is almost six times the number of arrivals for the same month in 2020, and more than half the total for pre-pandemic December 2019. Read more.
‘SETTING BRITAIN FREE’: U.K. scraps arrivals testing
Declaring that border testing of vaccinated travellers has “outlived its usefulness,” the British government announced that it is scrapping coronavirus testing requirements for people arriving in England effective Feb. 11 – news hailed by the travel industry as a big step back to normality. Read more.
Ottawa will be scaling back mandatory COVID-19 testing of all airport arrivals and return to random tests, in “a matter of weeks or even days,” according to French CBC. Radio-Canada reports a federal source as saying that while a decision on the matter has yet to be made, one may be coming soon.
Harbour Air Launches New Powell River Seaplane Service this Spring
Harbour Air has announced it will launch seaplane service between Powell River and downtown Vancouver starting this spring. Located on the North Sunshine Coast, Powell River is home to endless outdoor exploration, historic culture, and eclectic eateries. The service will commence on March 7. Learn More
INDUSTRY TRENDS AND QUICKLINKS
The hotel industry will continue moving toward recovery in 2022, but the path will be uneven and potentially volatile, and full recovery is still several years away, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Read More
Despite the omicron setback for airlines, the longer-term prospects are looking bright. Read more
The newly combined company provides hoteliers with a cloud-based platform that gives hotels the tools to take control of their direct-booking channel, enhance brand loyalty, and drive profitability Read more
Sector sees a surge of more than 250% in European bookings for Easter compared to 2021 Read more
The pandemic has transformed many travelers into high-net-worth individuals and made the super-wealthy even wealthier, according to GlobalData. Read more
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Tipping Our Hat to Industry
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ABLE BC's Executive Director, Jeff Guignard Named on Vancouver Magazine's 2022 Power 50 List!
The BCHA team is delighted to share our heartfelt congratulations to our industry partner and friend Jeff Guignard, who was just named on Vancouver Magazine's 2022 Power 50 List as one of the "change-makers and power players shaping our world in 2022."
"I am utterly humbled and honoured to be included on this list of accomplished and influential leaders,” said Guignard, who is number 35 on the list. “While it’s my name in the magazine, I know this is a shared recognition for the hard work, dedication, and passion of the team at ABLE BC and other association leaders who have been fighting for BC’s liquor and hospitality industries throughout this pandemic. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and filled with gratitude for this acknowledgement of our shared successes.”
This achievement is a true reflection of the overwhelming efforts made by Jeff and his team to benefit ABLE BC members and BC's liquor and hospitality industry at large.
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Shannon Rivers Joins Delta Grand Okanagan Resort
Shannon Rivers is the newest Sales Executive to join the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort Team!
Shannon joins with over 14 years of hospitality experience.
"We are thrilled to welcome such a strong talent to the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort Family."
Congrats Shannon!
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Best Western Plus Kamloops’s Tim Rodgers Selected as 2021 Pioneer Award Winner!
Congratulations are in order for Best Western Plus Kamloops Hotel. They are a leader in the Best Western Brand Green Program, and Tim Rodgers, General Manager, has been instrumental in making changes throughout the brand. For example Best Western up until a few years ago did not have a green towel option, but with Tim's initiative, Best Western now has a green towel program to choose a more environmentally friendly option for towels.
This and many more actions have resulted in Tim receiving the 2021 Pioneer Award!
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Congratulations are in order for Glenn Mandziuk! The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the leading global network in responsible hospitality, has appointed Glenn as their new CEO.
Glen has a wealth of experience advancing sustainable practices in tourism and hospitality and will play a vital role in ensuring our industry establishes strategies and programs that will inspire responsible growth.
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May 8, 2022 – May 11, 2022
IMPACT is a collaborative national dialogue on innovation. The dream to create a legacy for sustainable and regenerative tourism in Canada is stronger than ever, and your voices are needed.
Join in on a national conversation on sustainable tourism, as delegates and speakers explore and compare models for tourism recovery. Hear from some of the most creative and innovative experts in the business and address our new reality of higher expectations, for and of visitors.
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Destination Canada Industry Webinar - Tourism's Big Shift
Tuesday, Feb 1, 2022 10:00 AM PST
Hosted by: Destination Canada
Destination Canada is hosting a webinar to discuss the findings of our latest report, Tourism’s Big Shift: Key Trends Shaping the Future of Canada’s Tourism Industry. We will cover key trends that will have the largest impact in the next one to three years and explore the implications and opportunities for small and medium-sized tourism businesses.
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Melanie Mark Joins Historic Canadian Council of
Tourism Ministers as Co-Chair
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Let's Hear it for BC HWY 1 |
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Canucks Name First-ever Female Assistant General Manager |
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