C-19 BULLETIN - March 8, 2021

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BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference is Underway
The first day of the BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference was a great success with several presentations that supported the event theme of Mission Possible. Presenters examined the economic outlook and implications for the tourism industry; we heard from tourism business operators participating in the BC Tourism Resiliency Network; we learned about the plan for Canada's tourism sector from Marsha Walden of Destination Canada; we discussed the value of building strong relationships that honour Indigenous cultures and territories; and we learned from a panel of mental health and human resource experts about prioritizing workplace mental health wellbeing.

It was an eventful day with plenty to consider as we prepare ourselves for day two and our theme of COLLABORATION.
Jock Finlayson and Ken Peacock providing us with insight into the economic outlook and implications for our industry.
Destination Canada CEO Marsha Walden shared her thoughts on the state of the visitor economy and the plan ahead for tourism in Canada.
Day one is complete and we are gearing up for day two!

Get ready for Tuesday's session including:
  • National Hospitality & Tourism Advocacy Panel
  • Aviation Presentation & Panel
  • Destination BC Presentation with the Honourable Melanie Mark 
  • Sustainable Tourism Panel
  • Using Research Effectively to Guide Businesses and DMOS (Destination BC)
  • Craft Beer Tasting - get your beer samples purchased ASAP!

Register at:
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Thank you to all our sponsors of the 2021 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference!
Finding a way forward: Tourism Conference Comes on Heels of a 'Devastating Year'
Government is being urged to help one of the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic

As the annual B.C. Tourism Industry Conference was set to begin in Victoria last March, organizers decided to tack on an extra session about the COVID-19 virus rapidly spreading across the globe.
“We were feeling a bit nervous,” recalled Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of B.C. “We thought we’d be in a for a difficult three or four months. In no way did we anticipate we’d still be in this a year later.”

As the 2021 conference, now called the B.C. Tourism and Hospitality Conference, moves online on Monday, a series of speakers and panels is expected to tackle topics from inclusion and reconciliation to sustainability and mental health. But the focus will undoubtably be on reviving one of the industries hardest hit by the pandemic.

“There’s probably no other sector of the B.C. economy that has been more impacted by the COVID crisis,” said Jock Finlayson, senior policy advisor with the Business Council of B.C. “It has been a devastating 12 months for tourism operators. Many are struggling to see their way through.”
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An Industrial Strategy To Address the Many Key Issues that Will Shape the Prospects for Tourism in BC

If the BC tourism industry is to emerge positioned for long-term success, it must act to address its weaknesses.

An opinion piece by Jock Finlayson, Ed Mansfield was published in the Vancouver Sun March 8th.

Developing an industrial strategy for BC tourism would require long-range thinking and planning that draws on successful practices from other industrial sectors, such as advanced technology, film and TV, agri-food and energy. It would identify the roles that government can play and the tools it has at its disposal, such as taxation regimes, investment incentives and infrastructure programs, to facilitate the sector’s growth.

An industrial strategy would address the many key issues that will shape the prospects for tourism in BC. For example:

• Create policies that enable the preservation and enhancement of iconic attractions that draw visitors to a region and, in turn, sustain smaller allied tourism businesses.

• Develop new tourism infrastructure — especially infrastructure that connects tourism with other sectors. For example, BC is a major global film and TV production centre and is home to the largest visual effects (VFX) cluster in the world. The province could explore the establishment of a new museum or centre of screen-based media that would provide a world-class tourism attraction, serve as a springboard for regional film-tourism and showcase BC’s expertise.

• Introduce strategies to leverage and manage the oncoming rush of automation and AI tools that are predicted to improve tourism operator efficiencies but also trigger significant workforce adjustments.

• Implement policies that facilitate the growth of larger BC-based tourism businesses that are more resilient to shocks and better equipped for post-pandemic expansion. The pandemic has revealed the economic fragility of sectors like tourism in which the vast majority of businesses are small or micro-enterprises.

Read more at:
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BC Parks Reservations
Commence March 8

BC Parks reservations are available starting today, with bookings available up to two months in advance. BC residents will have priority access throughout the summer and demand will be high, so everyone should have a Plan B.

Check out the bcparks.ca/reserve and set up for a happy and safe camping season!

Parks Canada Reservations Launch in April

Dreaming of camping at a national historic site or national park this year? Reservations for trips between May 2021 and March 2022 will open in April. This will give you more time to consider the latest COVID-19 measures and may help reduce the need for cancellations. Your visit will be different than in past years due to the ongoing pandemic. Plan ahead using the camping during COVID-19 page to check what services will be available.
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 Moments of Levity

As an industry that continues to face enormous challenges during COVID-19, every once in a while 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. Feel free to share your photos, etc. with TIABC to be published in our C-19 Bulletin each week.
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FREE Culinary Tourism Webinars!

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada in partnership with TIABC is happy to offer free online Culinary Tourism webinars to tourism operators and organizations

Five themed webinars will assist small and medium tourism operators and partners develop culinary tourism strategies to maintain their businesses and attract both domestic international visitors once Canada is ready to welcome them again. 
Attracting Culinary Tourists Webinar 
Friday, March 12th at 9:00am PT (10am MT)
This webinar will be delivered Friday March 12th as part of the upcoming BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference – registration opening soon!

Multisensory Experience Development Webinar 
Tuesday, March 16th at 10:00am PT (11:00am MT)

Partnering For Success Webinar 
Thursday, March 18th at 9:00am PT (10:00am MT)

Growing Agritourism Webinar
Thursday, March 25th at 8:00am PT (9:00am MT)

Exceeding Expectations Webinar 
Wednesday, March 31st at 8:00am PT (9:00am MT)

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Recognizing the profound impact Covid-19 has had on our industries, and that inspiration may feel in short supply these days, WORTH* has rounded up an incredible panel of women to share their personal stories & challenges they’ve faced on the path to leadership, as well as their outlook ahead.

Panelists:
  • Kemi Wells, Owner and Founder, Wells Luxury Travel
  • Meeru Dhalwala, Co-owner and Chef, Vij’s Restaurant
  • Tety Partaatmadja, Market Director of Human Resources, Delta Burnaby Hotel, Delta Vancouver Downtown Suites and Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver at Marriott International
  • Ingrid Jarrett, President & CEO, British Columbia Hotel Association and Principal of IJ Management Consulting
  • Ainsley Ericksen, Head of Global Marketing and Information Technology, Rocky Mountaineer

*WORTH association provides members with opportunities for networking, mentorship, education and development. 
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YVR’s New 2021 Strategic Plan: Gateway to the New Economy

Join Tamara Vrooman, Vancouver Airport Authority’s President and CEO, for an address to learn more about her vision and YVR’s new 2021 Strategic Plan that will guide the airport in becoming a gateway to the new economy, in service of our community.

Wednesday March 10th 12:00pm - 1:00pm PT
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Boating BC AGM

March 24th at 11:30am
 
The meeting will be held on the Zoom Conference platform. Please register to attend in advance by clicking here. All registered Members will receive the Zoom link, agenda, financial statements from 2020, and other required documents in advance of the meeting.
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Impact Conference 2021

Please join us for an incredibly impactful 1.5 hours as we take a deeper look at the tourism recovery opportunities ahead:

  • Marsha Walden, President and CEO, Destination Canada
  • Keith Henry, President and CEO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada and IMPACT Co-Chair
  • Katie Briscoe, President, MMGY Global

Moderated by Paul Nursey, President and CEO, Destination Greater Victoria and IMPACT co-founder.

Wednesday March 31st
8:30am - 10:00am PT

Registration is free but all participants must register.
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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.