Dear BCLCA Member:

The new corporate site www.bclca.com has soft launched. The site informs operators about services we offer and allows members to access a member only area via a login to access key documents and happenings. This de-couple’s corporate information from the consumer site www.travel-british-columbia.com. You will notice that consumers can still access your listing by clicking on the lodging, camping, and RVing section on the home page.

This past week a few members have reached out to discuss the pace of bookings noticing that there is softer uptake of bookings in August and September than over the past two years. This appears to be the change back to a normal behaviour pattern (pre COVID) as consumers now have travel and other activity choices claiming their attention. The numbers visiting the consumer websites have also fallen off in March and early April as British Columbians especially, look elsewhere.

The next BCLCA webinar/town hall and final one of the Spring will take place on May 11th and will be a Pre-Season Pep Rally with how to and practical ideas.

The Propel Student Work Placement Program is actively connecting employers and students for spring and summer opportunities. Employers can access up to $5,000 (or $7,000 for under-represented groups) in wage subsidies for students on work-integrated learning (co-op, internships, etc.).

On April 4, the Government of Canada announced a workforce solutions road map, and further changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to address labour shortages across Canada. Addressing the critical situation was a key advocacy priority for TIAC this year and we are encouraged to see the government’s initiative on this. Five key policy changes will be implemented in the coming weeks as part of the TFW Program Workforce Solutions Road Map, outlined here:

BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association (BCLCA) is proud to once again support Care Camps of Canada with “Auction 22”. The ONLINE Auction is full of items to bid on, from Camping nights, Cabin stays, experiences, clothing, small appliances and more.

Care Camps allows children living with cancer to have hope, happiness and the healing powers that comes from attending specialized oncology camps where they can just-be-kids. The camp experience equips them with the skills necessary to meet the challenges they will face while fighting their disease.

Working together, in 2021, BCLCA Care Camps supporters helped raise $3,140.06 and we want to raise significantly more this year. Did you know it costs $1,850.00 a week to send a child with Cancer to Camp?

Will you please help us send more children to these specialized oncology camps? – a place where kids can forget about the chemo, the radiation, and all the hard stuff that comes with cancer…. and just be a child again.

The Auction starts 9 am May 1st, 2022, and runs until 7 pm on May 29th.

If you would like to become an auction supporter and donate a gift certificate or item from your business, please email [email protected]

To see those who have already donated visit https://www.travel-british-columbia.com/events/silent-auction-care-camps/ and the items can be previewed at https://trellis.org/auction-22/auction

On April 13^th over 20 members took part in the webinar and listened to Lynda Foran, Safety Officer and Laura Gibbons, Safety Officer, WorkSafe BC discuss the regulation concerning bullying, harassment, and violence in the workplace.

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/_hlIQrQggAcjy_JzCmoRspmd0uSgnrdLZbfyWhgAOO-c_uMC4-2ixNRQ4jdoUkOc.s2oih2RgteA5it28

Planning for the National Canadian RVing & Camping Week May 24–29, 2022 is well underway. Campgrounds offer an opportunity for family to spend time together, to create lifelong memories, and to discover Canada’s natural landscape and they have never been as important to the well-being of Canadian families as they are today.

The week is organized by the Canadian Camping and RV Council to:

We invite BCLCA members to sign up here to participate in the Canadian RV and Camping Week initiative May 24-29, 2022, and the Canadian Camping Appreciation Weekend September 9-11, 2022.  You can join the celebration for NO COST as well you can OPT IN to support the Care Camps fundraising charity initiative.

Registration

We've heard from both travellers and members that many highway signs throughout the province are either old, worn, dirty, out-of-date, or heavily damaged by weather and other factors.

Poorly maintained signs tarnish the image of our communities and province, and don't serve us well as a visitor destination.

The Tourism Industry Association of BC and BC Lodging & Campgrounds Association (BCLCA) are looking to provide the provincial government with recommendations on how to improve the province-wide service and attraction highway signage program.

During your travels throughout various regions, please remember to take photos of any recent blue and white signs that are in disrepair and send them to us at your earliest convenience. We look forward to hearing from you. [email protected]

The BCLCA board would like to congratulate BCLCA director Sandra Van Steijn, CEO of St. Eugene Golf Resort Casino, who was recently appointed to the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) board of directors to fill the vacant position in the business category as J.J. Belanger (immediate past president of BCLCA) moved into the Chair position last month.

Sandra's diverse strength's, industry insight and leadership are just a few of the many qualities she brings to BCLCA, so we know TIABC will have a strong dependable voice at the table.