BCLCA Dogwood Express Newsletter Issue 57

Dogwood Express Newsletter

November 22, 2023: Issue 57

In This Issue:

BCLCA President’s 2023 Annual General Meeting Report and Message
BC’s Securing Small Business Rebate Program opens November 22
October Labour Market Information Tourism and Hospitality Sector
Executive Director’s 2023 Annual Report
BCLCA Welcomes New Members

Dear BCLCA Member:

Over 40 delegates gathered November 6 – 8 at The Beach Club Resort, Parksville for the BCLCA Ideas Forum to hear from a line-up of 14 quality speakers and to discuss common operating concerns such as handling extended stays, EV charging, Glamping and implementing AI chatbots.

We have gathered the speaker’s presentations (more to come), and they can be accessed online in the partner extranet. To download the speaker PowerPoint presentations or watch a video presentation recorded in zoom access the Partner Extranet via the link below and login. Login details were previously sent.

https://bclca.extranet.simpleviewcrm.com/login/

Once logged in, browse the Partner Bulletin section and download the presentations in .pdf format or watch others via video.

Next year’s BCLCA Ideas Forum is scheduled to take place November 4 – 6, 2024, location to be announced, so mark your calendar and plan to attend.

Check out the short video from the 2023 Ideas Forum

BCLCA PRESIDENT'S 2023 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING REPORT & MESSAGE

I was re-elected your President in October 2022 by the board of directors and have served for three years on your behalf. I wanted to continue as President to oversee the introduction of the Strategic Plan focusing on the period 2023 – 2025. Part of the plan is the move towards measuring objectives and tactics with more data focused KPI’s but more than this I want to see us grow member engagement and I’m proud of the work undertaken by the Membership Committee led by director Jessica Schlamp.

This year has been trying for many members as climate change has fueled wildfires that have not spared any part of the province. But it is not all gloom as others have picked up the slack and housed the dispersed campers.

The BCLCA Team aided by the elected board of directors are engaged with market technology, and operational trends seeking out change opportunities to assist and advise members in their day-to-day operations. This year the board began the challenge of being more engaged with members and have used zoom technology to host Parking Lot and Townhall roundtables with members, Webinars with industry speaker’s experts in their field and the newly launched Facebook Group, a place to comfortably chat with other members to meet the challenge.

BC'S SECURING SMALL BUSINESS REBATE PROGRAM OPENS NOVEMBER 22

Beginning Nov. 22, 2023, small business owners in BC can apply to be reimbursed up to $2,000 per business for vandalism repair costs, and up to $1,000 for preventative measures. Applications are open until Jan. 31, 2025 and are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023 to cover any costs incurred over the year.

The $10.5-million Securing Small Business Rebate Program is designed to ease the financial burden on small businesses like you—who are bearing the brunt of a staggering increase in vandalism, theft, property crime, and mental health and addition issues. As many of you have reported over the past year, repairs and security upgrades can costs thousands of dollars—often out of your pockets.

This rebate is offered on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible applicants so we encourage members to apply as soon as possible.

Click here for more information.

OCTOBER LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION TOURISM & HOSPITALITY SECTOR

As reported by go2HR this week - for the month of October, the Canadian labour market data from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey and Qatalyst Research Group showed the tourism and hospitality sector continues to face challenges in employment and recovery, with variations across regions and sectors in the province, highlighting the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sector.

Key points:

Employment Trends:

BC's tourism and hospitality sector faced a 1.6% decline in employment from September to October 2023, with 7,000 fewer jobs compared to October 2019.
Regional variations in employment changes were observed, with increases in the Lower Mainland and Kootenay and a decrease in other regions.

Labour Force and Unemployment:

The unemployment rate rose from 3.7% to 4.5% in October 2023, above pre-COVID levels. While sales of food services and drinking places increased, actual hours worked per week decreased, and hotel occupancy rates remained below pre-COVID levels.
The sector continues to face challenges in employment and recovery, with variations across regions and sectors, highlighting the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note: Check out go2HR's Employment Tracker which also provides the most current tourism and hospitality industry data HERE.

Read the full Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey HERE.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Another year is in the books and the threat of COVID-19 has receded but has not completely disappeared, to be replaced by inflationary pressures, higher interest rates and the umpteen Wildfires interrupting the peak travel and camping season.

The pace of BC government-initiated change remains and seems to be focused on climate change initiatives with the push to EVs; fairness and accessibility for all through employment and indigenous reconciliation; and the continual push for housing affordability.

Despite these business pressures, members are reporting a strong business year with a pattern much more in line with 2019 than the influx of new campers created during the COVID years. The later summer-like weather stretching into Thanksgiving has boosted drop-in RV traffic. I am hearing that the winter RV snowbird business is sluggish with many people heading south or exiting full-time RVing. When you retire the expectation is 10 – 15 years of camping, so those baby boomers who are approaching their eighties stop RVing.

As an Association it’s the board’s responsibility to guide us through arising situations, to seek out opportunities to maintain business and to recommend reactions to change. To this end the board has completed a new three-year strategic plan to navigate the campground, RV Park, and lodging sectors halfway through this decade. The plan includes measurement with KPIs for key tactics so that effectiveness can be assessed.