C-19 BULLETIN - October 19, 2020

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US Border Closure
Extended to November 21st

The current restrictions for all non-essential travel between Canada and the U.S. will remain in effect until November 21st. More info on entry restrictions and exemptions at:


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Request From Federal MP Blake Richards

In addition to working with federal cabinet ministers, TIABC also speaks with opposition members including Blake Richards, MP, Banff-Airdrie who is both the Opposition Whip and Co-Chair of the Conservative Tourism Recovery Caucus Advisory Committee. Here is Blake's latest note to tourism industry colleagues.

Dear Tourism Partners,
 
It seems that nary a day goes by that another blow isn’t dealt to the tourism and hospitality industry from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; news of new lockdowns, reduced flight service across Canada and paused vaccines trials are just a few of the things that have occurred recently.

This is why it is imperative that policy makers and the federal government consistently keep an open dialogue with the industry to ensure that any future programs or legislation can create a realistic and successful path forward in a COVID-19 context.

Conservative Tourism Recovery Caucus Advisory Committee
Recently, I had the opportunity to host a virtual meeting with my colleague, Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, Tony Baldinelli. Together, we Co-chair the Conservative Tourism Recovery Caucus Advisory Committee which regularly meets to discuss solutions and ideas for the tourism and hospitality industry in the COVID-19 context. We had several guests join us and present, including the Hotel Association of Canada, Restaurants Canada, and the National Airlines Council of Canada.

As this committee regularly meets, we are always looking for industry partners to come present and join the discussion on a successful recovery for the industry. If you are interested, please reach out to my office.

The Path Forward and Important Questions
“We’re all in this together,” is the phrase we often hear from the government as of late. If we are truly “all in this together” the government, without a doubt, should be looking at international best practices and the successes of our allies especially when we are looking at the path forward for the tourism and hospitality industry in a COVID-19 context.

Any solutions during this pandemic are going to be multi-faceted. Unfortunately, the federal government has been lagging behind our allies on one such solution. When it comes to approving and procuring rapid COVID-19 testing devices that are essential to keeping Canadians safe and re-starting the economy, our federal government has been precious months behind.

Other countries have outpaced us on this. The United Kingdom has been offering free at-home tests. The US Food and Drug Administration had given the go ahead on a home test kit back in April. Germany also has commercial tests available online. If other countries can do it, what is delaying Canada? What reason is there for Canada to block these tests that other highly developed economies have not?

As the pandemic stretches into the long-term future, the government also needs to be transparent with Canadians and the tourism industry about the framework and timeline to procure and distribute a future COVID-19 vaccine. As well, the government needs to answer and provide clarity and set clear and realistic criteria about when and how they plan to re-open borders. Transparency on both of these subjects will allow tourism operators to have clarity and the ability to successfully plan for the path forward post COVID-19.

The Official Opposition will continue to ask these important questions, like the ones above, and will always advocate for a successful path forward for the industry. Together, we will ensure that the industry thrives once again.
 
As always, I want to hear from you. I welcome your thoughts and suggestions and believe that maintaining an open dialogue will be crucial in the path forward with COVID-19 and the recovery of the tourism industry.
 
Blake Richards, MP-Banff-Airdrie
Official Opposition Whip  
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Mark Your Calendars

Walt Judas, TIABC CEO is presenting at two upcoming industry events:

BC Lodging & Campgrounds Annual General Meeting and Industry Presentations
Wednesday, October 21 – 10:00 am – 11:30 am 
BCLCA Annual General Meeting with guests Lisa Houle, WorkSafeBC; Walt Judas, Tourism Industry Association of BC and Shane Devenish, Canadian Camping and RV Council who will discuss provincial and federal issues affecting the camping, RVing and lodging sectors.
Register in advance for this webinar at:
Tourism Vancouver Island AGM
October 21st
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Tourism Richmond Latest BC DMO to be
Awarded Safe Travels Designation

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the private sector of travel and tourism, with a mission to ensure the sector is seamless, secure, safe, inclusive, and sustainable. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WTTC has created the Safe Travels stamp, which is the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp for the travel and tourism industry.

The stamp can be leveraged to rebuild trust and confidence among travellers. Over 20 destination authorities from all over the world have been awarded the Safe Travels Stamp, including Canada. Other destinations in BC with the stamp include: Destination Greater Victoria, Tourism Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver Island, and Thompson Okanagan. The Safe Travels stamp has also been endorsed by over 200 tourism groups, including the United Nations World Tourism organization. 

Tourism Richmond has played, and will continue to play, a leading role in ensuring visitors feel safe in our destination. The Safe Travels Stamp is a seal of approval from a leading international authority that will signal to the public that Tourism Richmond has adopted a set of global safety and health protocols. As a designated public destination authority, Tourism Richmond will act as a Safe Travels ambassador to our tourism stakeholders and help them achieve their Safe Travels stamp.

To date, Tourism Richmond has approved 10 applications from tourism stakeholders.
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National Tourism Figures for July

With borders still closed, it’s no surprise that overall international arrivals to Canada were down 98% over last July, bringing our year-to-date numbers down 79% over the same time period in 2019.

Learn more at:
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RRU
Hospitality & Tourism Business Recovery and Financing: Strategic and Tactical Decision-Making

Join the Tourism and Hospitality Resource Forum of Royal Roads University, online on October 22nd at 1 pm for their next panel discussion, Hospitality & Tourism Business Recovery and Financing: Strategic and Tactical Decision-Making.

The COVID-19 situation has substantially changed the market for hospitality and tourism industry business owners and operators. Significant adjustments to their operations have been necessary to remain open and traditional markets have declined in most instances. Even with support measures in place by Government, the financial pressures faced by many businesses are acute. Our panel discussion will focus on the financial challenges at this time and the strategic and tactical decisions that small, medium and large hospitality and tourism industry owners and operators may face with a focus on business recovery and financial stability. 

For discussion:
  • The impacts businesses are currently facing and in particular possible financial pressures and the relationships with lenders and investors when experiencing significant revenue declines. 
  • The tactics that owners and operators can deploy now in their relationships with creditors and investors and the strategic decisions in the business recovery process 
  • If a business is facing potential insolvency or is contemplating closure, what are some of the key considerations? 

Panelists:
Gary D. Powroznik, FCA, CIRP, LIT is the Founder and Managing Director of G-Force Group.– Focusing on the strategic and tactical decisions that businesses may face in distress situations and the options that may be available to them.

Ralph R. Miller, CPA, CA, CBV, CHA, CHAE, President Inntegrated Hospitality Management Ltd. – Focusing on the operating challenges in the hospitality industry and the various measures that may be necessary to maintain market and financial stability.

Moderated by Steve Kleinschmidt, RRU associate faculty, Past Vice-Chairman Asset Management, and President of the Marco Polo Hotel Group.

Details for joining the Panel:

This panel is an initiative of the Tourism and Hospitality Resource Forum of Royal Roads University, a volunteer initiative to support BC's tourism industry. For more information on joining the Resource Forum for free or about this event, please contact Geoff Bird at geoff.2bird@royalroads.ca
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Tourism & Hospitality in a Time of COVID

Hosted by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
November 2nd, noon.

The economic rebound of British Columbia hinges on the recovery of critical economic sectors such as tourism and hospitality.

Prior to the pandemic, tourism contributed $8.3 billion to provincial GDP and employed more than 160,000 people. For our region and province to recover, it is essential that government provide support measures to help the industry overcome and rebuild from the devastating impacts of COVID-19.

The keynote speaker and panellists will discuss the short- and long-term measures, programs and priorities that will help tourism-reliant businesses survive today and transform our region for the future.
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October 21

TIAC Congress (virtual, free event)
November 17 & 18

TIABC AGM
November 25
TIABC's C-19 Bulletin is published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Feel free to send us your ideas on what information would be valuable for TIABC to share through our COVID-19 Bulletin going forward. Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca.