Travel Order Impact Survey

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) and the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) are working together to assess the immediate and long-term impacts on Thompson Okanagan tourism stakeholders from Accommodation Travel Restrictions (Southern Interior Areas) Order by the Province of BC, originally effective August 19 - September 4, 2023.

TOTA and BCHA are conducting a survey to collect details on the impacts of the order on tourism operations to present a summary of the findings to the BC Ministry of Tourism, Art, Culture, and Sport (MTACS) to share with the other ministries.

Survey

The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Your input is critical to understanding the impact of the order on businesses.

If you represent more than one business, please complete additional surveys for each business so that we have a better understanding of the impact of the order.

To complete the survey, go to https://TOTABC.org/Survey

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Additional Support

We understand this is a challenging time for businesses. The TOTA team would like to help. If you have any questions or concerns to discuss, please email Recovery@TOTABC.com.

Travel Restrictions Order Lifted for Most of Thompson Okanagan

Premier Eby and Minister Ma, the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, toured many parts of the Thompson Okanagan region to speak with residents and view the impacts of recent and continuing wildfires. 

In a press conference late yesterday afternoon, Minister Ma, together with Premier Eby lifted the order restricting travel to the Thompson Okanagan region, except for the community of West Kelowna, where there are still many residents out of their homes and much work ahead. Non-essential travel to West Kelowna continues to be prohibited for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation, including hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks, and campgrounds, to ensure accommodations are available for those who have been evacuated and are still unable to return home.

We appreciate the efforts of the Premier and Minister Ma to work with industry and communities to reopen the region sooner than anticipated. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the firefighters, first responders, emergency workers, and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to help the communities of the Thompson Okanagan impacted by wildfires. Our hearts go out to all those affected by these wildfires throughout the region.

Additionally, we want to acknowledge the accommodation providers in the Thompson Okanagan region who have been diligently reporting their availability to provide safe shelter for evacuees and emergency responders.

Although the non-essential travel restriction is now largely lifted, we are also acutely aware of the effect this restriction has had and continues to have on tourism businesses in the region. Besides the obvious financial impacts of losing visitors during the last few weeks of the peak tourism season, operators face uncertainty regarding labour, cancellation of significant events and product loss.

Lifting the order is an important first step in recovery, and while our industry remains steadfast in our commitment to support our communities and the evacuees, TOTA, along with the BC Hotel Association (BCHA), continues to work closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, and the Government of British Columbia to advocate for financial supports necessary to ensure full recovery. 

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We Want to Hear From You

To ensure we can bring concerns and challenges the industry faces to the government, we encourage you to share your insights and feedback on how the wildfires and travel restrictions have impacted your business through TOTA's Voice Your Concerns form.

Advocacy Update: Accommodation Travel Restrictions

As the fire fight continues in multiple areas of the Thompson Okanagan and BC, our hearts are with those evacuated and those that have lost their homes. We can't say enough about the amazing work of the firefighters and BC Wildfire Service, working together with numerous community fire departments from around the province.

Accommodators are providing ongoing updates on room availability to be shared with Emergency Support Service (ESS) Centres to coordinate room bookings for evacuees and first responders.

Having said that, we are also acutely aware that the Accommodation Travel Restrictions Order for Southern Interior areas up to September 4 has decimated the tourism industry in a critical time of the season, resulting in tremendous financial repercussions.

We all stand at the ready to support the evacuees but this need has not been realized. Presently, considering the evacuation requirements and available accommodations, we have a surplus available within Kelowna and West Kelowna. Although the fires' threat persists, the cooler temperatures and potential rain forecast offer some relief.

Over recent days, TOTA and the BC Hotel Association (BCHA) have actively engaged with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, advocating for a number of measures aimed at supporting tourism and hospitality businesses. We've presented a comprehensive overview of the on-ground situation, laying out the facts to facilitate an informed decision-making process.

On August 21, we formally urged the Tourism Ministry to have EMCR, Minister Ma, and the Premier to move forward with the following measures:

• A safe and expedited lifting of the essential-only travel order, particularly in areas like Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton, Summerland, Vernon, and Kamloops, where accommodation is not currently being fully utilized to support evacuation efforts.

• A commitment from the Premier that financial relief will be explored to offset the substantial economic losses experienced by operators due to the implementation of the travel order.

We continue to meet with the ministries as the situation progresses.

We encourage you to share your insights and feedback by emailing Recovery@TOTABC.com so that we can bring your concerns to the government.

In the meantime, we are working to get the region open and operating again as quickly as possible, recognizing that the current and potential losses.

Kind regards,

Ellen Walker-Matthews
CEO, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) 

Provincial Order: Accommodation Travel Restrictions for Southern Interior Areas

To help ensure accommodation is available for critical-response personnel and the tens of thousands of people evacuated due to wildfires, the Province of BC is restricting travel for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation in several communities in the Thompson Okanagan region.

The Province introduced a new order under the provincial state of emergency. Under this order, effective August 19 until end of day on September 4, 2023, people may not travel to stay in temporary accommodations for non-essential purposes in several Thompson Okanagan communities. This includes hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks, and campgrounds.

This order applies to temporary accommodation in the following cities:

• Kelowna-West Kelowna;

• Kamloops;

• Oliver;

• Osoyoos;

• Penticton; and

• Vernon.

The order does not impact travel through to other regions, but the Province is calling on everyone to avoid non-essential travel to the central Interior and southeast to ensure roadways are kept clear for emergency-response operations, including further evacuations. People should check information from the BC Wildfire Service, EmergencyInfoBC, and DriveBC before heading out.

Essential travel includes:

• providing emergency or critical services;

• sheltering for evacuees;

• travelling for health or medical reasons;

• transporting essential goods and supplies;

• attending court or complying with a court order;

• attending a funeral service;

• avoiding the risk of abuse or violence;

• exercising parental responsibilities;

• moving or assisting with moving to a different principal residence;

• carrying out a temporary work-related purpose, including volunteer work;

• attending classes or training; and

• exercising an Aboriginal or treaty right.

View Announcement →

Read the Order: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/mo/mo/m0243_2023