On March 11, the BC Provincial Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport (MTACS) launched the Strategic Framework for Tourism 2022-2024, a new three-year roadmap for rebuilding and revitalizing tourism, creating jobs and opportunities for people and communities in every part of the province.
The renewed Strategic Framework for Tourism responds to the call to action from the sector and Tourism Task Force to support recovery from COVID-19 by outlining a roadmap for a more resilient tourism sector through rebuilding to 2019 levels by 2024.
The update of this framework focuses on the provincial foundational principles, outlined as distinct priorities and concrete actions under three equally important pillars: People, Planet, and Prosperity; underlined by Indigenous reconciliation
To continue to support tourism businesses in B.C. to come back stronger, the Province is investing:
$1 million toward investments in event-bid preparation and sponsorships to attract large-scale arts, culture, and sport events, and public conferences and exhibitions.
$2 million for post-secondary education and training to support B.C. students who enroll in tourism and hospitality certificate, diploma or degree programs, tourism-related apprenticeships, and trades training and development programs.
$6 million this year through 2024 for Destination BC to market BC as a destination of choice in the highly competitive international market.
TOTA applauds the Province of BC and MTACS for moving the industry forward into recovery and resiliency with this framework and investment.
The Strategic Framework pillars align with the destination stewardship initiatives TOTA has been focused on since 2012 and take meaningful steps towards Indigenous reconciliation, the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the immediate need for initiatives to protect the planet. This is work that we believe in and we are encouraged to see the commitments the province is making to move forward in this direction.
We encourage businesses to review the framework and understand how it applies to your business.
If you need support with improving sustainability of your business, TOTA’s Biosphere Commitment Program is available to assist your business with guides, training, and marketing opportunities.
If industry wants to secure more financial support, we need to fight for it TODAY.
If you have not yet contacted your Member of Parliament, please do it today. We need to remind the Government that industry needs support to build back.
Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) has developed a Roadmap to Recovery with everything you need to support this effort, including messages and directions on how to reach your MP.
You can do the following:
Request & Hold a Meeting with your Member of Parliament
Share HAC’s Roadmap to Recovery with your Member of Parliament during your meeting
Canada Drops Pre-Arrival COVID-19 Testing For Vaccinated Travelers
The Government of Canada announced a series of adjustments to current border measures, the most significant to date. These new measures will be effective April 1 and represent a long-awaited milestone for the tourism & hospitality sector. Together, as an industry, we are ready to capture the recovery opportunity that lies ahead!
Key changes include:
Fully vaccinated travellers do not need to complete a pre-entry test (they may still be selected for random tests on arrival but are not required to quarantine).
Non vaccinated travellers will still need an on-arrival test and a day 8 test and must quarantine for 14 days.
ArriveCAN is still needed for entry to Canada by all travellers.
On October 21, 2021, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, announced that the government was taking targeted action to create jobs and spur economic growth, including the Tourism Hospitality and Recovery Program (THRP), which would provide support through wage and rent subsidy programs to tourism and hospitality operators, with a subsidy rate of up to 75%.
While the program is currently available until May 7, 2022, the subsidy rates were decreased by half as of March 13, 2022.
TIAC has been advocating for the original rates to be maintained and extended to September 2022.
As discussions with government officials continue, TIAC wishes to obtain more up-to-date information from tourism operators on the impact this cut will have on your business.
Please help TIAC advocate on your behalf to increase support by answering this brief survey.
Symphony Tourism Services (STS), part of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), is looking for a Data Analyst to lead the research program data analytics and continued development of the Tourism Impact Portal. The Data Analyst will be the project manager of the initiative and will work under the supervision of Symphony and the CEO of TOTA.
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) launched a Community Well-Being Survey, on the International Day of Happiness, March 20, 2022. The survey, a partnership with Planet Happiness (a project of the Happiness Alliance), is meant to strengthen the relationship between the tourism industry and residents of the Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia.
Thompson Okanagan residents, including tourism professionals, are invited to complete the survey. Once completed you will receive a personal report highlighting your results compared to the average results of other residents in the region.
Individuals and companies are encouraged to share the survey with team members and communities. To make sharing easy, TOTA has prepared a Media Kit with sample promotion materials for email and social media.
Over the past two weeks, Destination BC has completed its launch of Let’s do Something Together in BC: a domestic seasonal marketing campaign urging BC and Alberta residents to plan and book a spring trip in BC, while reconnecting with loved ones and doing something unforgettable, together. Running from now until May 27, the campaign is designed to create a sense of urgency, highlighting the time-sensitive nature of spring experiences in BC, and encouraging travellers to embrace new adventures as they explore the province with fresh eyes, brighter days, and restored connection with the important people in their lives.
As part of the spring campaign, Destination BC has created a partner toolkit to help industry learn more about the campaign, suggested messaging, how to align content and marketing efforts, and opportunities to get involved – including industry media discounts.
Ground was broken in Merritt on an ambitious project that aims to bolster support for First Nations economic development in the area.
Gateway 286 is a project taking shape on 11.6 hectares of land near the old Merritt visitor information centre. The rest stop was closed in 2018 and, in 2020, the provincial government transferred the land to five Nicola Valley First Nations — Coldwater Indian Band, Lower Nicola Indian Band, Nooaitch Indian Band, Shackan Indian Band, and Upper Nicola Indian Band.
Spayum Holdings was created by the five bands to oversee Gateway 286, plans for which include a redeveloped visitor information centre and 30,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. Two industry partners, Troika Management Corp. and PR Petroleum, have signed on to work on the project.
Camping enthusiasts can now use the improved BC Parks reservation service, launched March 21.
The new online reservation service, Camping.BCParks.ca, is part of a broader redesign of BC Parks’ digital services to improve the park experience from computer to campground.
With the new reservation service, people will be able to reserve a campsite up to two months before the desired arrival date at most campgrounds.
Designed with input from campers, park operators, and other service organizations, the new reservation service includes:
more flexible search options such as a map to search campgrounds by region, park listing or site availability;
information on nearby facilities and large photos of campsites so people know what to expect when they arrive;
an interactive calendar that shows when booked sites will become available; and
saved booking preferences within customer accounts.
During the BC Tourism & Hospitality Awards Gala, BC Hotel Association and the Tourism Industry Association of BC shared a tribute to those in the BC tourism industry industry lost in recent years, in honour of their contribution and memory.
The Province is launching an independent review and public consultation on government’s operational response to the COVID-19 pandemic to better inform preparations and responses to future emergencies and ensure British Columbians are protected.
Until April 20, people in British Columbia can provide written feedback about how they, or their business/organization, have been affected by government’s operational measures and communication throughout the pandemic.
A report with a comprehensive summary of the findings is expected by fall.
The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) is seeking industry insights through an industry snapshot survey. The yearly industry snapshot provides tremendous insight into the trajectory of the industry and, with this data, ATTA can influence the industry and give operators a way to compare your business. Last year, a robust report was created with information from over 200 respondents.
A senior marketing/sales team member, the general manager, or the CEO often have ready access and knowledge necessary to complete the survey easily.
The deadline for the survey is Sunday, March 27. The survey will take about 20 minutes.
The Women of Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality (WORTH) Association is British Columbia's first organization committed to advancing women in the recreation, tourism, and hospitality industries. WORTH offers free (or low-cost) networking and educational events, as well as skills training, mentorship program and leadership resources, to help women stay focused on their career goals.
This year, becoming a member of WORTH is free, and you'll be able to stay connected and supported through newsletters, events, and resources.
From March 15 to April 25, a friendly competition will determine (unofficially) which small town in B.C. reigns supreme. On Tuesdays through Fridays, CBC Radio One and CBC Vancouver News will highlight a different small town in B.C. (population under 12,000) with features on cbc.ca/bc.
British Columbian’s can vote each day for a favourite small town. One by one, municipalities will be eliminated based on your votes until the final one is crowned B.C.'s Best Small Town!
Follow the hashtag #BestSmallTownBC on social media and vote daily on Tuesdays through Fridays!
The winning town will be announced on-air on your local CBC Radio One morning show on Friday, April 29. In addition to earning bragging rights, the winning small town will receive special prizes.
Tourism businesses who demonstrate sustainable practices can register to be featured on the bookeco website, which will increase bookings and revenue by attracting sustainability focused customers to their business.
TOTA encourages all businesses taking sustainable actions to create a profile on bookeco to help customers easily find sustainable tourism providers in the Thompson Okanagan region.
The B.C. Employer Training Grant program (ETG) supports skills training to address provincial labour market needs. The program is delivered by the Province of British Columbia and is funded by the Government of Canada through the Workforce Development Agreement (WDA).
The goal of the ETG is to help British Columbians access the skills training needed to adapt to the changing requirements of jobs and the labour market while encouraging employer involvement in the training of their employees.
Employers are eligible to receive up to $300,000 per fiscal year (April 1 – March 31). Reimbursement amounts vary between 60% and 100% depending on the training stream. If approved, employers are to pay for all costs in full and, after training has started, submit a reimbursement claim.
A new set of guidelines from the UNWTO will help both governments and businesses better address the needs of women in the tourism sector.
The guidelines aim to ensure an inclusive and resilient recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. The guidelines recognize that, given the disproportionate loss of employment suffered by women, as well as the high proportion of women workers within tourism and their concentration in lower-skilled and lower-paid jobs, plans for the sector’s restart and recovery must address their specific needs.
Companies with a higher level of digital maturity enjoy higher sales and profit growth than their peers. How does your company’s digital maturity compare?
Use BDC’s free Digital maturity assessment to find out standings and compare with industry peers, as well as to identify areas for improvement.
With the results, a detailed, printable report containing recommended readings and information on best practices is available for download.
Planning a photography or video shoot can be a time and resource intensive endeavour; but, with extra care put towards a few key steps in the process, you can get a great return on your effort.
Read up on Destination BC's top tips to help you navigate the shoot planning and production process.
Okanagan College instructors are available to deliver virtual, one-hour individually tailored business counselling sessions on a variety of leadership soft skills, business administration, and hospitality topics.
The TOTA team is here to help with the challenges your business is facing. As part of TOTA's Tourism Resiliency Program tourism companies can access the following free supports:
