As part of this new journey, I participated in a virtual healing circle (along with 228 tourism colleagues) hosted by the Indigenous Tourism Association of British Columbia. While the gathering did not focus on the atrocities within the residential school system, it certainly helped me and everyone who attended to sympathize with our Indigenous friends, and truly grasp the deep wounds experienced by First Nations peoples. What’s more, the healing circle further illustrated how together as Canadians we need to own up to our past transgressions, hold accountable those responsible, and ultimately support one another on the long journey to recovery.

From the stories various Indigenous leaders shared yesterday, one statement struck me above all others: “The healing process needs to go beyond Indigenous peoples.” As ITBC’s Brenda Baptiste reminded us, “We’re all connected and in this together.”

Candidly, I’m still processing what I’ve learned in recent days. While I endeavour to read Canadian history books that delve deeper into issues like colonialism, perhaps a better use of my time would be to listen to perspectives from my Indigenous friends and colleagues, or attend similar gatherings to the Healing Circle, hear stories from Elders, and take in First Nations cultural experiences throughout British Columbia. I certainly aim to do that in the weeks and months ahead.

The Province is adding millions in additional funding to keep the Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant operating until the expected start of Step 3 of BC’s Restart plan.

To date, the business recovery grant program has committed $290 million to support businesses impacted by the pandemic. After applications close on July 2nd, the total investment of the Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant program is expected to reach $430 million. This funding will support more than 20,000 BC businesses and 260,000 employees over the course of the pandemic and beyond.

As of June 3rd, more than 10,000 grants have been awarded to BC businesses. Over 41% of these grants have been awarded to tourism-related businesses.

Eligible businesses interested in applying for the small business grant are encouraged to apply right away. All businesses that apply, including those in the application process, must submit all final documentation and details prior to the July 2nd deadline. Outstanding grants and related service-provider claims will continue to be processed as soon as possible after the application period closes.

Click here for further information.

The Major Anchor Attractions Program provides one-time emergency funding to major anchor attractions and tour bus companies that service tourism attractions to help them operate at minimal levels until domestic travel resumes and it's safe to gather indoors in small groups. The program is available to businesses and not-for-profits.

To be eligible, an organization must meet the basic requirements and qualify as one of three eligibility streams. The 3 eligibility streams are:

Applications are due by Monday, June 7th at 1 pm.

Information on the Major Anchors Attractions Program can be found here.

As stated in the Canadian Airports Council white paper that was released on May 27th, without a strong federal commitment to a comprehensive aviation recovery plan, both the air sector and Canada’s overall competitiveness face considerable risk. This is according to aviation and business industry leaders who participated in a forum that examined post-COVID air connectivity and passenger costs.

Air transportation is an important industry in Canada, facilitating the movement of people and cargo, and is a catalyst for other industries such as tourism. The sector currently accounts for 256,000 direct jobs and contributes $23.4 billion in direct Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The starting point for the discussions was a newly released white paper, Holding Pattern: Canada Needs a Swift Recovery and Competitive Air Sector, produced for the Canadian Airports Council which examined the issues that will affect air recovery in Canada, including increased costs to travellers and reduced connectivity. The paper noted that a 25% increase in the price of travel would lead to decline of 20% in passenger demand. In turn this will impact connectivity, which has plummeted by as much as 90% in some regions, while leaving other regions isolated with effectively no service at all

According to the report, the air sector’s current financial position and resulting cost-saving measures are likely to have an impact on the ability of Canadian airlines and airports to compete with their U.S. and foreign counterparts. This situation poses a real threat, as other major aviation countries are already on their way to recovery, while Canada’s borders have remained closed to international travellers since March 2020.

To read the complete white paper click here

BC's vaccine rollout has been creating some anxiety for employers as they try to understand the impact of the rollout on their workplaces. Do employers need to have a vaccine policy in place? Can employers demand proof of vaccination from their employees? How can employers balance health and safety concerns with human rights or privacy ones? What do employers need to consider if they want to implement a vaccine policy?

go2HR’s new toolkit COVID-19 Vaccinations in the Workplace – Toolkit for Tourism & Hospitality Employers contains practical information, resources and downloadable tools to help tourism and hospitality employers answer and address some of these difficult questions. Should you need more information or additional HR support, please feel free to contact: HR@go2hr.ca

Click here more information.

Earlier today, the BC Liberal Caucus, led by Interim Leader Shirley Bond, Tourism Critic Teresa Wat, and Todd Stone, Critic for Jobs, Economic Recovery & Innovation hosted a town hall on BC's cruise ship sector to give tourism operators and local communities a forum to voice their concerns. The session focused on where the industry stands currently and where emerging needs indicate more focus is required.

TIABC and several members and partners attended the session to provide input and perspectives. The opposition has been active in the legislature in recent weeks urging the Province to push the federal government to allow technical stops in BC for cruise lines carrying passengers between Seattle and Alaska, as well as pressing the feds to open marine borders at the same time as land borders.

The federal government has barred cruise ships carrying more than 100 passengers from operating in Canadian waters until February 2022.

It’s Canadian Environment Week and together GreenStep Solutions and TIABC's national partners - the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) are excited to announce the launch of the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge. This new initiative encourages tourism businesses and destinations across Canada and globally, to commit to measuring and improving their sustainability performance each year between now and 2030.

Developed in Canada by GreenStep, the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge offers a free online assessment and sustainability score to help tourism businesses and destinations self-assess on a broad range of sustainability criteria. This creates a common framework and benchmark from which tourism businesses and destinations can create action plans to make ongoing improvements in the areas of economic, social, cultural, natural and environmental sustainability.

To read the full news release click here

Join Indigenous Tourism BC for an inspiring and interactive food & beverage workshop in celebration of National Indigenous History Month.

In partnership with Destination BC and sponsored by Daily Hive, you will be guided through an exploration of the rich history and cultures of Indigenous cuisine and wine in BC. Meet Paul Natrall, a second-generation chef and owner of Vancouver’s successful Indigenous food truck, Mr. Bannock, and Ryan Widdup, manager and sommelier of the Okanagan’s picturesque Indigenous World Winery. Viewers will learn how to make authentic bannock from the comfort of their homes and learn about the history and practices behind Indigenous wine.

Click here for more information and to register.

Despite ongoing restrictions, tourism gained employment in May adding 45,800 workers. There were gains in full-time employment offset to a degree by declines in part-time employment. Tourism employment increased in all provinces except for Nova Scotia, where employment fell by 2,200

Seasonally unadjusted employment across all industries increased by 288,700. Once again there is a large discrepancy between the unadjusted and adjusted data. Despite these gains, the seasonally adjusted data shows an employment loss of 68,000, essentially, because the economy did not add as many jobs as it usually does in May. Applying seasonal adjustments results in a decrease.

The data collected was for the week of May 9th to 15th. 

The seasonally unadjusted tourism unemployment rate decreased from 11.3% to 9.8%. In April the unemployment rate had dropped from 13.0% to 11.3%. This was partially due to the increase in employment. But our stakeholders should also be aware that Statistics Canada only links unemployed workers to their former industry for one calendar year. After that, they are counted as unclassified. Due to this the tourism unemployment rate—and by extension the unemployment rate for any industry—should be used with caution. The decreasing unemployment rate does not necessarily mean that tourism workers who have been unemployed for over a year have found a new job or dropped out of the labour force. 

There were a mix of employment gains and losses by industry this month.

Click here more information.

The Tourism Café Canada® is looking for a dynamic, creative and talented individual to join their team as the Digital Course Creator. Working alongside award-winning instructional designers, you are the person who transforms learning into digitally engaging online learning. Working remotely as part of a British-Columbia based team, this part-time entry-level position has potential to grow as your skills and contributions expand.

Click here more information on this exciting opportunity.

Yesterday, TIABC host a webinar presented by Rogers Media. This informative session delivered valuable insight on the facts and myths of media consumption, and directed participants to where marketers can find Canadian travellers.

A copy of the recorded webinar can be found here.

This webinar was sponsored by our partners at Western Economic Diversification & Fortis BC

A new outdoor experience will be available to British Columbians as they plan summer travel. The Malahat SkyWalk will open in July as the newest outdoor experience on Vancouver Island, providing the ‘ultimate natural high.’

The Malahat SkyWalk will immerse visitors in nature along a 600 metre accessible, elevated walkway through an Arbutus and Douglas Fir forest, leading to a 10-storey, architecturally-inspiring spiral tower lookout – the first of its kind in British Columbia. Rising 250 metres above sea level, guests will enjoy 360-degree views of two countries, including Finlayson Arm, Saanich Inlet, Saanich Peninsula, Gulf Islands, San Juan Islands, Mt. Baker and the Coast Mountain range.

On the descent, guests can opt to return to ground level by taking an exhilarating ride on a 20 metre spiral slide. Guests will find a deeper connection to nature learning about the trees, birds, animals and marine life of the region.

Please check here for opening updates and further information on this unique attraction.

Starting June 7th, Susan Rybar will assume the role of Acting Vice President of Destination Management at Destination BC, taking over from Grant Mackay, who announced his retirement last month.

Susan is a tourism strategist and creative marketer with more than 30 years of experience in marketing, strategy development and business management. Throughout her career, she has been involved in all aspects of destination management, ranging from strategic planning and destination development to government programs, funding and human resources

In her new role, Susan will support the Destination Management team in implementing their annual plans, programs and projects; work with the executive team to support corporate-wide projects, such as Invest in Iconics and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and collaborate with Indigenous Tourism BC on projects specific to Indigenous communities, among other responsibilities.

Click here for full story.

The HISTORY® Channel’s hit survival series Alone premiered on June 3rd. This series features the most dramatically beautiful and challenging location yet - the remote Chilcotin region of British Columbia. Participants are based in the spectacular and remote area of Tŝilhqox Biny (Chilko Lake), referred to as ‘Grizzly Mountain.’

Visit here for further details.

TIABC recognizes that many of our members have been supporting our organization's advocacy efforts for a very long time. In this new feature, we will be showcasing those businesses, associations, and DMOs that been TIABC members for more than 10 years.

The BC Taxi Association is a non-profit organization representing the majority of taxi companies throughout British Columbia. It exists to promote and safeguard the interest of the taxi industry. The BC Taxi Association works to safeguard the economic viability of its members, the entire British Columbia taxi industry and the livelihood of thousands of drivers and their families, while continuously improving safety and customer service.

Click here to learn more about this long standing member.

Join Tourism Vancouver, Thursday, June 10 | 9:00am - 10:30am | Online via Zoom

As we work to rebuild the tourism sector, social procurement is a tool that can help to meet labour needs and create positive impact in your community. Explore how you can look to your supply chain for opportunities to include social enterprises: purpose-driven business with diverse and inclusive hiring practices. By working with a social enterprise, you help create impact and you will be able to access new avenues for employees.

Participants learn how to consider social procurement as a way to create impact in their communities and find partners to solve challenges for their businesses.

Check here for more information and to register.

Presented by Destination Canada’s Business Events team, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

Thursday, June 17th, 2021 at 10:00 am PDT

While we wait for a time when we can welcome back international business event visitors, we are working with CBSA and IRCC to ensure that we are ready, prepared and knowledgeable on CBSA's International Events and Convention Services Program that is available to our clients.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), in collaboration with other government departments and agencies, has developed the International Events and Convention Services Program (IECSP). . These benefits may apply to international events hosted in our destinations.

Through this webinar, you will learn about relevant Canadian border-related requirements for international events, facilitating the future arrival of attendees and their accompanying goods, thus supporting your sales efforts with international clients. You will also connect with key coordinators of the program and benefit from their free and expert advice.

Check here for more information and to register.

Learn more at:

Self-Guided Webinars 

Developing Winter / Shoulder Season Tourism Toolkit

Made up of six learning modules, this webinar will give you actionable advice on how to define your strategy, develop products and experiences, build collaborative partnerships and more to boost seasonal tourism in your business or region.

Winter / Shoulder Season Consumer Demand Research Report

Get access to free tools and strategies to grow your business and tourism in your region at the ECE content hub: https://ecehub.tiac-aitc.ca/en/