May 31st, 2022

Note to our readership: Effective June 1st, we will be moving to a weekly publication. The TIABC e-bulletin will change distribution to every Friday. A reminder to send us your ideas on what would be valuable for us to share through our Bulletin going forward.
Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca

Honourable Minister Mark Celebrates
the Tourism Industry | Tourism Week in BC

"BC's Tourism Industry Paddles Out of the Pandemic Storm, Ready To Welcome Visitors".

To recognize Tourism Week, the Hon. Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport issued the following message, in partnership with TIABC, Indigenous Tourism BC, BCHA and Destination BC.

"Tourism is making a comeback after two tumultuous years with COVID. People are getting out, connecting with friends and family, camping, exploring, soaking up rest and relaxation, and attending events. Canadian and international visitors are making the choice to come to BC and the numbers look very promising!

But let’s not forget what we have been through. There is no question it’s been a very difficult and traumatic time for everyone, especially those working in the tourism industry. Over the last two years everyone working in this sector made numerous sacrifices.

They attended endless meetings discussing ways in which we could mitigate risk and gave advice on what needed to be done to ensure that the sector continued to thrive. They made an unwavering commitment to keep us safe.

Together, we worked with the Tourism Task Force to provide support the tourism industry identified as a priority. Because of this collaborative effort we’re celebrating 609% more flight bookings into BC and a 38% increase in hotel occupancy compared to last year.

The recovery of the tourism industry is bringing a new challenge for operators in BC – finding and retaining employees. While over 100,000 people moved to BC in 2021 (the highest net migration in more than 60 years) and our strong economic recovery has resulted in 92,500 more people employed in BC than before the pandemic, the labour market remains tight.

Together, we will continue to address workforce challenges. BC's strength is its people, and the Province is tackling the labour shortage by investing in skills training, childcare and housing and capping rent costs to make life more affordable for more people.

We have come a long way! Last year the Province started rolling out our vaccinations and passports and activities such as live music, dancing and visiting with friends and family are things we look forward to this summer. Now more than ever we need to be together.

As we celebrate Tourism Week, we want to thank all the people whose jobs rely on tourism — for your commitment, determination, patience and perseverance. We encourage British Columbians to make up for lost time by exploring like never before.

Destination BC has been instrumental in promoting how to safely explore our own backyard, introducing British Columbians to new communities and places that were under the radar.

Check out a local game or music festival, visit attractions like the incredible Malahat SkyWalk, PNE or Richmond night market, or local museum or art gallery. Be a part of reconciliation in action by supporting the more than 400 Indigenous tourism businesses that were thriving before the pandemic.

We have paddled through the worst storm ever and will paddle even harder to achieve shared success. When we see people getting back to work in tourism, we see communities thriving. It’s a win-win for everyone.

The industry is known world-wide for providing access to renowned travel, recreational, cultural, and culinary experiences. They create world class experiences and memories.

Let’s keep the numbers climbing so BC can continue shining".
Join Us! | Recognize National Tourism Week #BCTourismCounts

National Tourism Week has officially launched and it's our time to celebrate, support and advocate on behalf of our industry businesses, operators and organizations.

A reminder of the Tourism Week Industry Toolkit we have developed along with our partner, Destination BC to provide you with resources and assist you in implementing your messaging.

New to the Tourism Week Industry Toolkit is the News Release Template. We encourage you to use this resource and share your celebration on our social media channels.

TIABC Board of Directors and team wish you all a most enjoyable Tourism Week!
COVID Border Measures to Remain in Place at Least Another Month

Health Canada made an announcement earlier today stating the Government of Canada is extending current border measures for travellers entering Canada until at least June 30th.

Several pandemic restrictions are in place at Canadian airports and land borders, including vaccine mandates, random COVID-19 tests and the requirement that international travellers answer pandemic-related questions on the ArriveCan app. Travellers must also wear masks on planes and passenger trains. The specific restrictions vary depending on travellers’ age, citizenship and vaccination status.

As for when the mandates will be lifted, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said he doesn’t know but the government is consulting with experts and other jurisdictions.
What is Holding Tourism Back in Canada?

Blake Edwards, Member of Parliament, Banff-Airdrie released a newsletter earlier today to mention his observations about the tourism industry as we mark Tourism Week across the nation and province.

With Tourism Week in full-swing, MP Richards has heard from many tourism operators and associations from across Canada about the challenges and changing realities facing the sector. Below are a few priority issues that MP Richards and the Conservative Tourism Caucus are working on:

Labour Shortages in the Tourism & Hospitality Sectors
  • During Question Period, he took the opportunity to hold the government accountable for their lack of action on the Foreign Workers Program. You can watch his statements here.

ArriveCAN Issues & Chaos at Canada's Airports
  • It's time for mandates, random testing, redundant health questionnaires, and the ArriveCAN app to end, and for Canada to move forward. Conservatives recently tabled a motion in the House of Commons, calling on the government to return to pre-pandemic travel rules and service standards.

Tourism Week
  • On a positive note, this year's Tourism Week in Canada is an opportunity to highlight the momentous contributions of the Tourism Industry to Canada. You can watch his video celebrating Tourism Week in Canada here.

Fighting for the Future of the Tourism Industry
  • MP Richards states that would-be tourists are being dissuaded from visiting Canada after hearing stories about issues at the border with ArriveCAN and random testing, as well as exceptional airport delays.
  • Government red tape with the Temporary Foreign Worker program is making it impossible for tourism operators to staff their businesses.
Minimum Wage Increases June 1st

As of June 1st, BC's lowest paid workers will get a pay boost as the minimum wage increases from $15.20 to $15.65 per hour, which is the highest of any province.

The minimum wage increase to $15.65 per hour is tied to British Columbia's average annual inflation rate which, from January 1st to December 31st, 2021, was calculated at 2.8%. This is consistent with the approach taken in other jurisdictions.

Quick Facts:

  • In 2021, 6% of employees in BC (136,300) earned minimum wage or less.
  • In 2021, 52% of employees earning minimum wage or less were older than 25 and 58% were women.

Read the official announcement here.
National AccessAbility Week
May 29th - June 4th

This week also marks National AccessAbility Week in Canada. It is an opportunity to recognize the efforts of people who are actively removing barriers and ensuring people with disabilities have an equal chance to participate in the places we live, work, learn and play.

This year, the theme for National AccessAbility Week is “Inclusive from the Start”.

Reminder: the AccessNow app is a go-to resource for accessibility information, built on a connected platform that empowers all people to discover a world of accessible opportunities, make travel decisions, and remove barriers. The app has over 200K places rated in 35 countries, including restaurants, shops, hotels, attractions, trails, and parks.

To recognize the "Value of Tourism to Accessibility and Inclusion", TIABC recently released a video to acknowledge the importance to removing barriers. Please take a moment to view - and to share. #NAAW2022
AccessibleBC Plan Removes Barriers

Government’s new accessibility plan, AccessibleBC, outlines how provincial ministries will embed accessibility and inclusion in their work and services over the next three years.

The AccessibleBC plan lists five priority areas for government to identify, remove and prevent barriers to participation for people with disabilities:

  • creating a culture of accessibility and inclusion;
  • information and communication;
  • buildings, infrastructure and public spaces;
  • employment in the B.C. public service; and
  • delivery of goods and services.

Implementation of the act is ongoing, with government now set to begin developing two new standards, the Accessible Employment Standard and the Accessible Service-Delivery Standard.

Development of accessibility standards will be guided by the overall objective to identify, remove and prevent barriers that impede full and equal participation by people with disabilities. Barriers include environments, attitudes, practices, policies, information, communications and technologies and can be compounded by intersecting forms of discrimination.

Read today's official announcement here.
TrueNorth Business Development Forum 2022

TIABC CEO Walt Judas will be a guest speaker in Prince George on Thursday at the True North 2022 Business Development Forum. He will be joined by Northern BC Tourism Association CEO Clint Fraser, and Ian Tostenson, president & CEO of the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association in a panel discussion focused on "Economic Recovery Through Tourism & Hospitality". The panel will be moderated by Tourism Prince George CEO Colin Carson.

Hosted by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and presented by LNG Canada, the #TrueNorth Business Development Forum is a program focused on building a more resilient and prosperous Northern BC by providing participants with the most current data and proven strategies to grow brands, communities, teams, and culture.

Click here to learn more and to register.
TIABC Partners With The Art of Leadership for Women

In a world of information overload, The Art of Leadership for Women focuses on the topics and trends most critical to leaders. This unique one-day conference features a riveting collection of world leaders, business icons, academics, and bestselling authors who inspire action.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn improved ways of leveraging their value, elevating their skills, and developing the strategies required to take their leadership and their organizations to the next level. This conference is not just for women, but for anyone who wants to champion change on behalf of women. 

Date: Wednesday, June 8th
Time: 8:30AM – 4:30PM
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building - Hall A, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver

Note: TIABC Members SAVE $100 - Join us at The Art of Leadership for Women in Vancouver on June 8th for a full day of world-class learning, networking and championing change for women.
DBC Provides $4.2M for Collaborative Tourism Marketing Initiatives Across BC

Destination BC is providing $4.2 million to support 84 tourism projects across BC this year through its Co-operative Marketing Partnerships Program, to continue to foster a collaborative “Team BC” approach to tourism marketing and further support the sector as it recovers.

The program helps partners drive consumer demand and increase tourism revenues by investing resources where and when capacity exists, leveraging private and public funds to maximize marketing impact, and creating deep collaboration to enhance our collective global competitiveness as an industry, which has become increasingly crucial as global travel restarts.

Initially designed to require new annual applications and matched industry funding, the program has been modified over the last three intakes to remove these requirements, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BC’s tourism industry.

For the last seven years the program has supported communities in every corner of the province, funding new and established marketing initiatives for both tourism destinations, and key activities.

Read the official announcement here.
Contract Opportunity | Lodge Manager, Vetter Falls Lodge (Onsite)

Unique Opportunity
Nisga’a Tourism / Nisga’a Lisims Government (NLG) is looking for an individual to restart operations at Vetter Falls Lodge this summer including hiring and training staff and mentoring a Nisga’a Citizen (single or couple)
to eventually run the lodge as their own business. This contract position is for 6 months (may be extended) and is perfect for a seasoned manager who is passionate about operations, training, and mentorship and who has experience working in remote/rural locations.

Click here for more information and to apply.
MMBC Welcomes Six New Directors

Meetings Mean Business Canada (MMBC) has expanded its volunteer board of directors with the addition of six new members. The appointments bring MMBC’s total board seats to 16 following a motion passed during the 2021 Annual General Meeting.

New to the MMBC Board is Alexis Kereluk, Partner, ConnectSeven Group. Alexis has worked with leading event firms, destinations and non-profits on thought-provoking projects that use events to provide triple line growth to communities, destinations and organizations. Alexis and her ConnectSeven team recently worked with TIABC and the BCHA in the delivery of the successful 2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference, held in Richmond earlier this year.

Congratulations Alexis!

Click here to meet the new Directors to MMBC.

Moments of Levity

As an industry that continues to face enormous challenges during COVID-19, every once in awhile it's important to share a laugh, a good story, a beautiful image or an interesting anecdote to provide moments of levity during this most difficult time.
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On behalf of TIABC and Board of Directors, we are pleased to acknowledge the following member. We appreciate their support and investment in our advocacy efforts. It's a pleasure to introduce them to our industry network and readership.
Helijet

Helijet has been an active participant in BC's growth for 35 years. In 1986, with a carefully conceived vision, a single helicopter, and a handful of enthusiastic employees, Helijet launched Canada’s first scheduled helicopter service. From that single helicopter, flying eight times a day between downtown Vancouver and downtown Victoria, Helijet has grown into a dynamic company with operations in Richmond, Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii. Helijet’s fleet of medium and large helicopters is maintained, flown and administered by a dedicated crew of over 150 employees.

To learn more about Helijet, visit here.
TIABC MEMBERSHIP

We strongly encourage you to consider membership or renew your membership with TIABC to support our important advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire visitor economy.

There is no better example of what TIABC has done for you than in the last 27-months. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic TIABC has identified your concerns, raised your voice, championed your needs, pushing for support and programs while encouraging policy changes.
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Understanding Bill 10
Strategies During an Organizing Drive

The inevitable passage of Bill 10 – which removes the democratic protection of a secret ballot vote for union certification, replacing it with a card-based system – is concerning for many about what this will mean for their organization, and employees.

To offer education, resources, and support for members, the BCHA is hosting an information session. During this session, they will provide a toolkit, while exploring actions that can be taken, both immediately and in the future, answering questions that include:

  • What does certification mean? What is the process?
  • What action can be taking prior to a Union organizing drive?
  • What can management do or say during an organizing drive?
  • What should management NOT do or say during an organizing drive?

Date: June 2nd, 1pm - 2pm (PT)

Click here to register and provide your questions.
Introduction to the Business of Sustainability for Tourism Businesses

Join GreenStep’s Sustainable Tourism Team for this informative webinar to learn how your business and the planet can benefit from assessing your business’s sustainability performance.

  • Improve your knowledge of sustainability as a topic and build an understanding of the assessment criteria specific to the tourism industry and what is measured within the environmental, social and cultural, and economic aspects of your business.
  • Learn about the benefits of assessing your business with the sustainability criteria.
  • Gain tips on creating an action plan, long-term goal setting, and how to engage your customers and staff in your sustainability journey.
  • Learn how your tourism business can leverage low or no-cost sustainability initiatives to drive revenue, provide cost savings, and attract and retain talent.


Date: June 6th, 11am - 12:30 pm (PT) via ZOOM

Click here to learn more and to register.
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REMINDER | Safer Spaces Course

TIABC would like to remind industry of the Safer Spaces course: Creating Sexual Harassment-Free Workplaces in BC's Tourism and Hospitality Industry. This free online course has been extremely well-received by industry as it addresses one of today's concerning topics and supports employers and supervisors in creating workplaces that are free from sexual harassment.

Safer Spaces was designed by a team of experts convened by go2HR. The project team is united by a commitment to reduce the stigma around workplace sexual harassment and a desire to champion the topic as an integral element of workplace education and training.

The Safer Spaces course covers the following topics:

  1. Defining Sexual Harassment
  2. Identifying Risk Factors in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry
  3. Understanding Workplace Roles and Responsibilities
  4. Building the Workplace Culture
  5. Training and Communication
  6. Receiving a Disclosure of Sexual Harassment
  7. Responding to a Disclosure of Sexual Harassment
  8. Creating Safer Spaces for Everyone

We encourage everyone to join the TIABC Board and staff in completing the training and certification.
Understanding Primary & Secondary
Market Research

Destination BC has partnered with Small Business BC to offer free access for tourism business stakeholders across the province to online education supporting COVID-19 recovery.

You will learn how ask the right questions, collect key data and interpret that information to help you make strategic business decisions.

Date: June 17th, 1pm - 4pm (PT)


Register Here using coupon code: DBC3034
Hospitality Professional Program
Applications Now Open

Fully Funded Virtual Hospitality Training for Professionals in the Thompson Okanagan Region, provided by TOTA and Okanagan College.

Online, with practicums and work experiences on site as required.

Program Schedule:
  • June 20th - Dec. 16th
  • Training: 17 Weeks (June 20th - Oct. 14th)
  • Work Experience & Mentorship: 9 Weeks (Oct. 17th - Dec. 16th)

Application Deadline: May 22, 2022
Understanding, Tools, and Resources to Prevent Workplace Violence

go2HR is offering a free webinar on Challenging Guest Interactions and Preventing Workplace Violence for industry associations to share with their members.
Challenging guest interactions can include worker harassment, verbal abuse and, in escalating situations, even physical violence.

The webinar is a 45-minute session and can be a stand-alone webinar or added to an existing meeting. In the webinar, your members will learn:

  • How to handle challenging interactions, with industry-specific examples
  • Proactive control measures to address the risk of violence in the workplace
  • How to prevent violence in the workplace
  • Training topics to empower workers in incident management and response
  • Mental health effects of challenging guest interactions

In addition, your members will gain access to tools, checklists and resources that they can personalize for their business and use for worker training.

Connect safety@go2hr.ca to learn more about the webinar and schedule your presentation!
Valuable Business Education Tools Available

Small Business BC provides practical business education tailored for small businesses right here in BC. Whether you need help starting your business, hiring employees, managing operations, or anything else, Small Business BC is here to help.

Find the Right Resources for You:

Live webinars are real-time engaging presentations with live video and chat. Have a scheduling conflict? A recording will also be available for you to stream over the next seven days so you won’t miss a thing.

Self-directed e-courses are available anytime, anywhere. Each on-demand e-course will cover bite-sized topics and help you learn through multimedia features such as readings, handouts, videos and quizzes. With course access for one full year, you can review to the course material multiple times as you progress through your entrepreneurial journey.
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Race and Ethnicity in Canada

Over the last year, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade has been offering a variety of training sessions through the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI).

The sessions are instructor-led using a virtual platform and provide participants with some of the best practices they can use to tackle pressing issues related to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Date: June 2nd - 9am (PT).

Click here to learn more and to register.
Save the Date | BC Chamber of Commerce
2022 AGM and Conference

Time to block your calendars! Join the BC Chamber of Commerce on June 8-9 for their 2022 AGM and Conference, that will take place in-person in Prince George (subject to public health restrictions).

We are excited to gather together again with BC Chamber of Commerce members from across the province to hear what's on BC's mind, connect in person to discuss business priorities, and debate policies that will drive our network's advocacy efforts for the years ahead.
2022 CITAP AGM

Mark your calendars, the 2022 CITAP AGM. Online registration will open in early June, so please stay tuned! There will be no cost to attend the meeting.
Note: Your membership must be in good standing to participate at the AGM.

Date:  Wednesday, June 29th
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 AM (PT) via Zoom

CITAP Board of Directors Openings for the 2022/23 Election:
  • 4 (four) RTO Openings (with a maximum of 3 directors per region); 2 openings- Asia Pacific; 1 opening- Europe; 1 opening- The Americas
  • 1 (one) DMO Opening
  • 3 (three) CUS Openings (with a maximum of 2 directors per sub-category) 

If you would like to nominate someone or seek a seat on our Board of Directors, please review our nomination and slate document and submit the nomination form by Tuesday, June 7th and subsequently a nominee profile by Tuesday, June 14th.

Prior to the AGM, on June 21st, CITAP will give all candidates the opportunity to address membership as part of their campaign via Zoom. To update your profile, please log in to your CITAP account on the website.

For further information, please contact CITAP office at 604.247.1997 or citap97@citap.ca. 

52nd Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association
International Conference

Date and Location: Victoria | June 13-16, 2022

This year’s conference theme is Regenerative Tourism: Building Resilience. The conference will focus on recovering efforts of the global tourism and hospitality industry and communities to regenerate tourism in the post-pandemic era and at the same time to increase resilience to crises, sustain resources, and distribute more fairly tourism benefits.

Join us in Victoria, BC, or attend virtually!

Click HERE to learn more and to register.
Save the Date | Wine Growers of BC | AGM

The culmination of WGBC activities, including marketing, communications, advocacy and more over the Fiscal Year 2022 will be reported on in the Annual Report released at the Annual General Meeting. As quorum is critical for this meeting to proceed, please add this date to your calendar.

Date: Wednesday, September 7th - 10am - 12pm
Virtual Event: Add to calendar HERE
Sport Events Congress | 2022

Sport Tourism Canada and Edmonton Events have announced that Sport Events Congress 2022 will be held November 2-4 in Edmonton.

SEC22 promises to be everything that attendees know and love about Congress – interactive, educational, opportunities for business-to-business networking, evening social events (including an Edmonton Oilers NHL match-up at Rogers Place). View the preliminary schedule here.
Feel free to send us your ideas on what information would be valuable for TIABC to share through our Bulletin going forward. Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca.
TIABC recognizes that our members, stakeholders and staff occupy the ceded, unceded and traditional territories of Indigenous Nations across British Columbia. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to live, work and play on the lands that our Indigenous friends and First Nations ancestors honour and care for.