Tourism is as competitive as any other business sector, if not more. However, unlike other industries, in certain segments of tourism it’s fairly easy to find competitors’ business plans particularly for destination marketing/management organizations (DMOs), sector associations or crown corporations. Within two clicks via google search, anyone can learn what these organizations are doing…which is helpful when developing one’s own strategy to compete on the national or international stage.

I recently came across the United States’ post-COVID Travel & Tourism Strategy that establishes a five-year goal of attracting 90 million visitors and $279 billion in annual revenue and encourages private and public sectors to work together to increase the volume and value of tourism.

The strategy is divided into four pillars, each with specific goals:

1.   Promoting the US as a travel destination by leveraging existing programs and assets and broadening marketing efforts;

2.   Facilitating travel to and within the US by reducing barriers to trade in travel services and making it safer and more efficient for visitors to enter the country;

3.   Ensuring diverse, inclusive, and accessible tourism experiences by supporting the development of diverse tourism products and supporting communities as they expand their tourism economies; and

4.   Fostering resilient and sustainable travel and tourism by reducing the sector’s contributions to climate change, protecting natural resources, and ensuring equitable development.

I found it helpful to read what our American neighbours intend to do given that our own government has embarked on a consultation process to renew Canada’s tourism growth strategy, which was originally launched in 2019 and focussed on creating good middle class jobs, expanding our unique product offerings, attracting visitors during the winter or shoulder season, expanding Indigenous tourism, building tourism in rural or remote communities, leveraging culinary tourism, prioritizing equity, inclusion and accessibility, and encouraging private investment into the sector, among other things.

As we enter a post-pandemic environment, the feds are looking to update the strategy and are seeking input around the themes of destination development, sport tourism, rural tourism, culinary tourism, labour and workforce, community and culture, and Indigenous tourism with a goal to set a course for growth, investment, and stability in the coming years. A series of regional roundtables are being conducted across the country in addition to calls for written submissions to help inform objectives, strategies, and actions vis-a-vis the future of Canada’s visitor economy.

TIABC, as well as our national, provincial, and territorial counterparts are discussing a joint submission although we have yet to put pen to paper since government has provided little direction on content, format, and basic expectations for the brief. In fact, other than in a general sense, we don’t yet know what specific questions to answer, problems to address, or opportunities to pursue although we are actively seeking guidance from the feds to ensure our submission hits the mark.

In spite of having few details on what government wants, our national partners at TIAC have launched a survey that seeks information from tourism operators across the country to help shape a robust submission. The survey closes today so please take a few minutes to respond accordingly (see survey link below). Your input is both important and valued.

From what I’ve observed after perusing various national tourism strategies from around the world, they all appear to have one over-arching goal in common: To promote (name of country) as a premier destination and to build a travel and tourism sector that drives economic growth, creates good jobs, promotes equity, inclusion, and accessibility, incorporates sustainability, etc. etc. Sound familiar?

As I alluded to earlier, there are very few business secrets among certain segments of the tourism sector. It seems we all borrow ideas from each other. However, to outperform the competition, Canada needs to be better equipped to execute our myriad strategies and that’s where the federal government can focus its efforts to help our industry in the years ahead.

Walt Judas,

CEO, TIABC

In its recent Budget, the Federal Government stated that “to continue supporting Canada’s tourism sector, the Minister of Tourism will work with the tourism industry, provincial and territorial counterparts, and Indigenous tourism operators to develop a new post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which will plot a course for growth, investment, and stability.”

TIABC's national counterparts...TIAC will be actively participating in these consultations, including drafting a detailed submission that reflects the tourism industry’s priorities for moving towards growth, investment, and stability.

Tourism stakeholders, business owners and employees, as well as members of the public, are invited to visit New Federal Tourism Growth Strategy to provide input and help lay the foundation for the future of Canada’s tourism industry. To share your views on how Canada can build on its reputation as a world-class destination, please send an email to tourisminfo-tourismeinfo@ised-isde.gc.ca.

TIABC joined tourism industry leaders and government officials at BC Place yesterday for the official announcement that Vancouver has been chosen as one of two Canadian host cities for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

The world's largest single sporting event will put the global spotlight on British Columbia and further bolster tourism in the years leading up to and including the tournament.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico with matches held in select host cities across North America. However, the number of matches for Vancouver has not yet been confirmed.

TIABC recognizes the leadership of Tourism & Sport Minister Melanie Mark, Deputy Minister Neilane Mayhew, Premier Horgan and Finance Minister Robinson for doing their due diligence and finding a way for the province to support FIFA World Cup 2026.

In the official announcement from government, TIABC CEO Walt Judas had this to say:

The government announced earlier this week that, as of June 20th, it will suspend vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travel, federally regulated transportation sectors and federal government employees. Below is a summary of key impacts to travellers and transportation workers:

Read the official news release here.

Immediately following the announcement that Vancouver would be a host city for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, TIABC CEO Walt Judas spoke with Global TV about how this mega sporting event will benefit both the visitor economy and the broader economy for the province and contribute significantly to the national visitor economy.

Click here to view the full interview and story.

TIABC CEO Walt Judas spoke with City TV's Liza Yuzda earlier this week about the federal government's announcement it is suspending the COVID vaccination mandate for domestic travellers.

Click here to listen to the full interview.

Speaking with Global TV's Richard Zussman earlier this week, TIABC CEO Walt Judas explained why some sectors such as the meetings and events are still negatively impacted by the regulations despite the announcement of changes to be implemented for domestic travellers on June 20th.

Click here to listen to the full interview.

SURVEY | BC 2030 Olympic & Paralympic Feasibility Team

On Tuesday this week, the BC 2030 Feasibility Team announced exciting new details for the BC 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid that included a venue map and additional information on the concept behind the Indigenous-led Games in BC. The event took place at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler.

The Lil̓’wat7úl (Lil’wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations have invited the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee to officially collaborate on exploring the feasibility of hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (the Games) in British Columbia.

The group has now entered its engagement phase to learn how the games can be delivered to benefit BC province-wide. All British Columbians are encouraged to take the survey and share your perspective.

To learn more about the 2030 Games Engagement, visit here.

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has advised that the Committee’s Budget 2023 consultation is now open.

The Committee has made some adjustments to the consultation process that are based on best practices observed from previous consultations and aim to make the process more efficient and accessible for all participants. This year, participants are asked to focus on three recommendations for the next provincial budget.

Opportunities to complete the submission form and the survey are open until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 24th on the link below. Please note that public hearings are full, and a waitlist has been established. TIABC CEO Walt Judas presented to the committee yesterday.

One of the priorities of the TIABC Policy Committee in recent months has been to address the ongoing concern and issues raised regarding the province-wide maintenance and replacement of service and attraction highway signage...an important component of wayfinding for visitors to BC.

After a thorough review of the current provincial signs policy and input from industry stakeholders and members, TIABC developed a comprehensive list of the core issues regarding the current signage policy and subsequently developed the TIABC Policy on Province-wide Maintenance & Replacement of Service & Attraction Highway Signage.

1. The Ministry of Transportation must conduct an annual audit of all existing signs in each

region to A) understand relevance of current signage and update as necessary (e.g. delete

references to businesses that are closed), and B) to identify wayfinding gaps such as failure

to list turn-offs for services or amenities.

2. All blue and white service and attraction signs should be maintained to the standard that

befits the province’s Super, Natural British Columbia tourism brand.

3. Existing signs should be upgraded, or new signs introduced to include Indigenous

communities and tourism businesses in the spirit of reconciliation.

4. To avoid lengthy waits to replace or repair signage, the province should offer an expedited

process that allows private operators to pay all or part of the cost if they so choose.

When advocating on behalf of our industry, TIABC not only addresses challenges to businesses, but also champions opportunities that will have a positive impact to BC's visitor economy.

A recent example is the introduction of a new intercity bus (ICB) service between U.S. cities and Vancouver, due in part to TIABC lending its voice and advocacy efforts including a letter to the BC Passenger Transportation Board (PTB).

In a letter to TIABC CEO Walt Judas on June 16th, FlixBus shared the exciting news that the PTB approved their application and service has commenced to Vancouver.

Learn more about FlixBus service to/from Vancouver here.

NAV CANADA released its traffic figures yesterday for the month of May, and not surprisingly, the agency's onumbers show that air travel in Canada is on the rise.

With one key hurdle to the resumption of cross-border air travel – pre-entry testing – dropped in April, last month saw a 117% increase in traffic over the same month in 2021.

Despite the promising report, air traffic still hasn’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels. NAV CANADA's numbers indicate air traffic in Canada in May was nearly 15% lower than May, 2019. The data demonstrates a clear direction towards industry recovery and Canada’s airlines are still banking on a busy summer of travel to continue the momentum.

Click here to learn more.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) recently announced the start of full operations of its newly expanded international terminal.

The new terminal expansion offers eight new gates, adding capacity and flexibility to accommodate large aircrafts. A glassed-in island forest with access to the outdoors, an immersive digital experience, and a multi-faith prayer room, yoga and quiet room coupled with best-in-class shopping and dining options will enhance the experience for passengers. Art and architecture combine to showcase the best of British Columbia, with themes of land, sea, and sky as well as Indigenous culture.

Visit here to learn more about the new expansion.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) issued a news release on Wednesday to welcome Sun Country Airlines and its scheduled service inaugural flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to YVR.

Sun Country’s first scheduled service flight to Canada landed at YVR on June 15th, commencing its twice-weekly summer seasonal service between YVR and MSP.  Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sun Country is a hybrid low-cost air carrier with a focus on leisure travel serving customers throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and now Canada.

In a quote from TIABC CEO Walt Judas, “We are very pleased that Sun Country chose YVR as its first Canadian destination...We know how critical air access is to our visitor economy and this new international air service comes at an opportune time as British Columbia’s tourism sector continues to rebuild following the pandemic. Sun Country will bring thousands of new visitors to our province, connecting them with unique experiences and award-winning tourism offerings in every region.” 

Read the official news release here.

Click here to learn more about Sun Country Airlines.

June is a month for all to honour the cultures and contributions of Indigenous peoples in Canada. National Indigenous Peoples Day is June 21st and coincides with the summer solstice and the beginning of a season of berry picking and fishing, powwows, and gatherings for the diverse Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Along with our industry partner, Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) we ask everyone to seek firsthand experiences and education about living Indigenous cultures and realities so that you are inspired to learn beyond the month of June.

Traditionally, there are significant gatherings in communities all across BC – parades, dancing, music, festivals, and food. Share your experience on social media with #IndigenousBC.

Learn more here.

Destination BC (DBC) is an example of another organization recognizing that equity-deserving groups continue to face disproportionate barriers as a result of systemic racism and discrimination, and these challenges have a profound impact on the way we work and live. They also realize how issues affect us all, and serves that systemic barriers still hold many people back.

Over the past two years, Destination BC has been taking a thoughtful approach to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).

Learn more about Destination BC's commitment to DEIA here.

As the industry continues ramping up operations as recovery builds momentum around the province, TIABC and their industry partner at go2HR recognize that labour challenges continue to impede true recovery. An excellent resource from go2HR are the Workforce Profiles, available for the employers and people seeking to work in the tourism and hospitality sector.

The Workforce Profile(s) is an up-to-date and accurate description of the current (2021) tourism and hospitality workforce. These profiles go far beyond a simple sketch of who they are and what they do. The 11 Workforce Profiles provide detailed demographic information to better understand the nuances of our industry workforce. The Workforce Profiles also offer an analysis of how the workforce has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to view the profiles.

The public engagement on the creation of a provincial waste prevention regulation has been extended. British Columbians, Indigenous communities, businesses, local governments and organizations now have until July 5th at 4:00 pm to provide feedback on the Province’s proposed actions to prevent single-use and plastic waste.

Proposed provincial actions include:

If you have yet to share your thoughts on these and other future actions that have been proposed to prevent single-use and plastic waste in British Columbia, visit here.

The Destinations International Foundation is pleased to offer eligible Canadian members and non-members who are employed at destination organizations based in Canada, scholarships to attend Destinations International’s 2022 Annual Convention, taking place July 19–21 in Toronto.

Scholarships will include the following:

Applications will be accepted starting on June 6th up until July 8th. Only one representative per organization will be approved. Should there be any remaining scholarship dollars after July 8th, consideration will be given to additional recipients from any Canadian organization.

For more information about the scholarship application and to submit, contact Julie Holmen, at jholmen@destinationsinternational.org.

As we enter the official start of summer next week, Boating BC is renewing its call for increased safety on BC’s waterways with a public service advertising campaign reminding BC’s boaters that when it comes to safety, excuses don’t float!

Watch highlights of the Excuses Don’t Float campaign featuring community leaders here.

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.

CLIA is the world's largest cruise industry trade association, providing a unified voice and leading authority of the global cruise community. On behalf of its members, affiliates, and partners, the organization supports policies and practices that foster a secure, healthy, and sustainable cruise ship environment, promoting positive travel experiences. CLIA represents 95% of the world’s ocean-going cruise capacity, as well as 54,000 travel agents, and 15,000 of the largest travel agencies in the world.

Click here for more information on CLIA.

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. 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.

What if economic reconciliation were a means of transforming our collective economy from the current state to a desired future state? Economic Reconciliation is more than just normalizing relations with First Nations, it's about transforming the economy for all of our collective wellbeing. Step into the River offers a set of values, mind shifts and practices to support how practitioners, local governments, organizations, institutions and industry partners can engage in reconciliation to meet that desired outcome.

Sxwpilemaát Siyám (Chief Leanne Joe) a Hereditary Chief of the Squamish Nation and transformative storyteller and co-author Lily Raphael are sharing a path for economic reconciliation with the launch of Step Into the River: A Framework for Economic Reconciliation.

Date: June 20th - 12:00 noon - online

Click here to register for the lecture and the Q&A session that follows.

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.

Application Deadline: May 22, 2022

Earlier this month Bill 10 became law, allowing for single-step certification of unions where the union can demonstrate the support of 55% or more of the bargaining unit. This single-step process makes it easier for unions to become certified.

We understand the significant impact this may have on your businesses, and we have already heard concerning reports of unionization efforts in cannabis and liquor retail stores. It’s important for owners to be aware of what this means.

Please join legal experts Ryan Anderson and Mark Bout from Mathews Dinsale for a webinar outlining what Bill 10 may mean for your business, and what you need to know about union organizing efforts.

Date: Tuesday, June 21st

Time: 10 am - 11 am via Zoom

Click here to RSVP and submit questions for the webinar, or email Ann Brydle.

Reminder | Destination Canada’s Virtual Annual Public Meeting is Next Week

Hear from Destination Canada’s board chair Liza Frulla, president and CEO, Marsha Walden and executive team members including Gloria Loree, Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer, Meaghan Ferrigno, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, and Maureen Riley, Vice-President, International. They will reflect on the state of the industry, our work throughout 2021 and our vision for 2022 and beyond.

Date: Thursday, June 23rd

Time: 10 am-1pm via Zoom

There will also be an opportunity for industry to ask questions. We invite you to submit your questions in advance by email to: communications@destinationcanada.com.

Click here to register.

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.

You are invited to join in remotely for the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the BC Cycling Coalition.

Date: Monday, June 20th, 6:30-8:00pm, via Zoom.

Please register here. You must be a member of the BCCC in order to vote.

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.

Date:  Wednesday, June 29th

Time: 10:00-11:00 AM via Zoom

CITAP Board of Directors Openings for the 2022/23 Election:

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. 

Date and Location: July 4th, Westwood Plateau Golf Club, Coquitlam

All proceeds support BC hospitality workers in financial need due to a medical crisis.

Click HERE to learn more and to register.

Wine Growers British Columbia along with Wine Growers Canada, Wine Growers Ontario and Wine Growers Nova Scotia are pleased to invite you to attend the annual Canadian Wine Growers Symposium and Annual Awards Ceremony.

The symposium will have high profile speakers addressing emerging political and market trends and impacts of the pandemic, followed by the host organizations Award Ceremonies.

Virtual Event

Date: Monday, July 11th, 10:00am-2:00pm

Registration is complimentary to industry professionals

Click HERE to learn more and to register.

The 2022 Canada 55+ Games are coming to Kamloops August 23–26.

The Canada 55+ Games is a large multi-sport event with over 2500 participants competing in 26 different events.

The Games focus on the social, physical and psychological well being of the participants through participation in a multi-day event. The Games are held over four days and participants must qualify through their provincial 55+ games competitions.

The Games offer opportunities for enrichment, fulfillment and improved quality of life provided by participation in a broad variety of athletic, recreational and social events. Although the very nature of the Games is to declare a winner or winners, the aspect of winning is secondary to the social side related to reuniting with friends from Games past.

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-noon

Virtual Event: Add to calendar HERE

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.