Message from President & CEO, Ingrid Jarrett
Dear accommodation community,
 
Last week, the BCHA team had the immense pleasure of travelling to Vancouver Island to meet with accommodators in person, as part of our Live Industry Update Series. During these events -- which took place in Tofino, Courtenay, Parksville, and Nanaimo -- we had the opportunity to provide an update on the advocacy work we are leading, while providing information on operational resources, cost-savings opportunities, and value for membership.
 
Having the opportunity to meet in person again, and hear directly from our accommodation community was marvelous. Gathering in-person as an industry, is an experience that very few of us have had the opportunity to take part in over these past 19 months. Nothing can compare to it or replace it. It was both refreshing and gratifying, to recognize how confidence surrounding in-person meetings has been restored to where it is today. I remind everyone that engaging in these types of in-person interactions is an important step in rebuilding the level of confidence needed for our meetings and events sector to flourish once again.
 
During our Live Industry Update Series, we had the honour of welcoming acclaimed industry colleagues and local leaders to share their insights and take part in discussions on how we can carve a positive path forward for our entire tourism and hospitality community. I would like to send my sincere thanks to each and every speaker who shared their voice and knowledge, fueling our discussions along with the key learnings from each event. It was our pleasure to learn from you and I would like to recognize the following individuals (by order of appearance) for their impactful contribution:
 
  • Nancy Cameron, Executive Director, Tourism Tofino
  • Samantha Hackett, General Manager, Long Beach Lodge & Chair of Tourism Tofino
  • Acting Mayor, Councilor Will Cole-Hamilton, City of Courtenay
  • Diane Hawkins, CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce
  • His worship, Mayor Ed Mayne, City of Parkville
  • Blain Sepos, Executive Director, Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism
  • His worship, Mayor Leonard Krog, City of Nanaimo
  • Dan Brady, Executive Director, Nanaimo Hospitality Association
  • David McQuinn, General Manager, The Coast Bastion Hotel
 
In particular, I would also like to thank my friend and colleague, Anthony Everett, President and CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island for being our host and partner during this series. His participation and input was incredibly valuable, and once again, magnified the importance and gravity of collaboration.
 
Furthermore, I'd like to acknowledge everyone who attended these events, from our sponsors and venue hosts, to our Vancouver Island accommodation community. Our aim in hosting this series was to better understand how we can best serve our accommodation sector along with the highly interconnected network of businesses it supports. Through your attendance, participation, and discussions, our team gained critical information and perspective that will help us to better serve you as a business operator, and by extension, every single individual in our tourism and accommodation community. We will be hosting another in-person event in Victoria on November 4th along with Penticton, Kelowna, and Kamloops later in the month. Stay tuned for more details and how to register for these free events.
 
Finally, in the vein of the importance of participation, I would like to highlight the critical nature of the Paid Sick Leave Program and strongly encourage each of you to share your comments. Last week, I met with the Minister of Labour, Minister Bains, and Last Friday, I met with Deputy Minister of Labour, Trevor Hughes; and Assistant Deputy Minister of Labour, Danine Leduc; to share our position on paid sick leave. We heard your concerns and communicated them, highlighting the financial burden this program will have on businesses that have yet to recover from the devastation caused by COVID-19. Incurring additional expenses, while we have yet to enter step four of BC's Restart Plan, could be the difference between survival and closures for many businesses. It is important that you voice any concerns you may have and voice your feedback.
 
While we enjoyed our time connecting with operators on the island, our team is happy to be back in the office with a refreshed resolve to support our industry.
 
Best wishes,
 
Ingrid Jarrett
President & CEO
British Columbia Hotel Association
Today's update includes:

On behalf of the provincial hotel sector, BCHA President & CEO, Ingrid Jarrett delivered a submission to the the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government regarding the 2022 budget.

Outlining critical issues impacting the sector such as the workforce crisis, along with rising fixed costs coupled with significant revenue losses, the presentation further presented the hotel sector's significant impact on the British Columbia economy and in communities in every corner of the province. Identified solutions to explore further include:
  • Release a grant program in 2021 for the accommodation sector, outlining eligibility by revenue loss over 2019 -- briefing note and details have been submitted for a portion of the 50 million allocated for tourism
  • Invest and support in a workforce strategy, developed by industry, for industry, to ensure recovery and resiliency
  • Resume government travel
  • Enable Clean BC energy strategy
  • Implementing energy cost relief through a new hotel rate class
  • Capping Online Travel Agency commissions
  • Implementing a school tax reduction that would reduce the property tax burden of hotels by 25%
  • Changing the property tac calculation from the grater of to the lesser of "best use" or previous years revenue

See below to view video.
Licensee Retail Store Moratorium
Extended until July 2032
We would like to extend a sincere congratulations to our partners at Alliance of Beverage Licensees (ABLE BC) for their critical advocacy win: Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, announced the moratorium on new Licensee Retail Stores will be extended until 2032. The moratorium was originally set to expire on July 1, 2022.

This is a big deal for LRS members as ending the moratorium on July 1, 2022 could have led to a flood of new liquor retail stores entering the market – unnecessarily increasing competition, undermining profitability, and putting industry’s long-term prosperity at risk. We thank Jeff and his team at ABLE BC for their tireless work on this advocacy file!

#DIDYOUKNOW ? All BCHA members with a liquor license are also a member of ABLE BC. ABLE BC is the industry advocate for issues affecting all Liquor Primaries and Licensee Retail Stores in British Columbia and they are proud to represent the liquor policy interests of BC’s hoteliers.ov.bc.ca/releases/2021JERI0061-00185
BCHA September Survey Results
The BCHA recently collected feedback from operators surrounding information pertaining to proof of vaccination, paid sick leave, and access to support programs. We thank everyone who participated in collecting this critical information.
 
Of the participants surveyed, here are some of the results.
 
AVERAGE OCCUPANCY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA:
  • September - 68%
  • October - 54%
  • November - 44%
  • December - 44%
  • January - 42%
 
KEY FINDINGS:
  • Over 8% of individuals polled have implemented their own proof of vaccination policy
  • Over 78% of individuals polled have experienced and/or witnessed verbal or online abuse at their property as a result of the proof of vaccination policy
  • Benefits program for employees:
  • 82.35% of respondents do offer benefits to their employees
  • 38.65% of respondents offer benefits to part-time, permanent part-time, and seasonal employees
  • Over 71% of respondents indicated that they are currently looking for employees
Senior U.S. officials announced Tuesday night a plan to begin reopening the land borders with Canada and Mexico, which have been closed for non-essential travel since March 2020.

An exact date for the reopening has not yet been determined, according to senior administration officials who briefed reporters earlier about the plan during a conference call. A number of details are still being worked out, including the type of documentation that will be accepted to prove a traveller's vaccination status.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said today "We are working to clarify and finalize all the details with our American partners".

This announcement came shortly after after Rep. Brian Higgins — a New York Democrat who has been one of the loudest critics in Washington of the continued border restrictions — broke the news in a written statement adding "The sigh of relief coming from northern border communities following this announcement is so loud it can practically be heard on either end of the Peace Bridge". Read more.

The BCHA will continue to share further information on this news as it comes available.
The Clipper ferry service between Victoria and Seattle has suspended operations until spring 2022, the company announced Tuesday, less than one month after the ferry line restarted.The Clipper briefly relaunched service on Sept. 17, after it was closed for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ferry service relaunched on a four-day weekend schedule. However, with marine borders only opened for U.S. travellers entering Canada, and not for Canadians entering the U.S., as well as a surge in COVID-19 cases on both sides of the border due to the Delta variant, the Clipper says that ridership levels were too low to continue operating through the winter.

The company says that travel requirements for visitors entering Canada – including a full vaccination status, proof of a negative COVID-19 test within three days of entering the country, and a full quarantine plan prepared for travellers who don't meet the requirements upon entering Canada – impacted ridership numbers as well.

"We knew that it would be a challenge to relaunch our international fast ferry service heading into shoulder season and given the current ongoing circumstances and travel repercussions of the pandemic," said David Gudgel, CEO of FRS Clipper. Read more.
Our on-the-ground member engagement with MPs has slowed in the wake of the election and we need to apply another wave of pressure. As we speak Government is working on the tailored support programs they promised during the campaign. How deep the support runs will hinge on how critical the need, and as you all know, all politics is local.
 
While the Hotel Association of Canada is doing the behind the scenes work on this in Ottawa, can you please send a letter to your MP to press urgent, tailored and generous support? It will only take a couple of clicks since we’ve already written the letter for you.
New Vaccination Requirements | Federal Employees & Travellers
On October 30, the Government of Canada will require:
  • Employers in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors to establish vaccination policies for their employees
  • Travellers departing from Canadian airports, and travellers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains, will also be required to be fully vaccinated in order to travel
 
Vaccine requirements for employees in the federally regulated transportation sector:
As of October 30, employers in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors will be required to establish vaccination policies for their organizations. Specifically, the vaccination requirement will apply to:
  • airlines and airports, and other organizations who have employees who enter restricted areas of airports, such as concession and hospitality workers
  • federally regulated railways, and their rail crew and track employees
  • marine operators with Canadian vessels that operate with 12 or more crew
 
Vaccine requirements for travellers:
Effective October 30, air passengers departing from Canadian airports, travellers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains, and travellers on non-essential passenger vessels on voyages of 24 hours or more, such as cruise ships, will need to be vaccinated.
 
Effective October 30, travellers will need to be fully vaccinated in order to board. Specifically, the vaccination requirement will apply to all travellers 12 years of age and older who are:
 
  • Air passengers flying on domestic, transborder or international flights departing from airports in Canada
  • Rail passengers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains
  • Marine passengers on non-essential passenger vessels, such as cruise ships, on voyages of 24 hours or more
 
In addition, this vaccination mandate will include specific accommodation to recognize the unique needs of travellers from small, remote communities (some of which are not accessible by road) to ensure they will be able to travel to obtain essential services in support of their medical, health, or social well-being, and return safely to their homes. This accommodation will be informed by engagement with Indigenous organizations and provinces and territories in the coming days.
 
Enforcement:
Transport Canada will oversee compliance by means of inspections and enforcement tools—including Administrative Monetary Penalties—using oversight systems in place for each mode.
 
Read the complete Backgrounder here.
The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable ("the Roundtable") welcomes the increased clarity around the federal government's decision to require domestic travellers by air, train, and marine to be fully vaccinated.

"The federal government's announcement effectively makes travel one of the safest activities in the country. With these measures in place, the transportation sector becomes one of the only sectors requiring fully vaccinated employees and customers. Since the start of the pandemic, travel has been unfairly labelled as unsafe and risky. This announcement will help to increase passenger confidence," said Beth Potter, President & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.
Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, Ravi Kahlon, issued a statement on October 8th regarding the release of Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for September 2021. Highlights of the statement include:
 
  • B.C. is leading Canada’s economic recovery, with 12,300 jobs added last month.
  • B.C. continues to lead all provinces since the onset of the pandemic with a job recovery rate of 101.5%.
  • Our unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the country at 5.9%.
  • The job recovery rate has been strong across the province, led by Prince George at 107.1%
  • Other notable job recovery rates are in the Thompson-Okanagan at 106.8%, the Cariboo at 104.6%, Vancouver Island at 104.1%, the Kootenays at 102.3%, Lower Mainland at 102%, Vancouver at 101.3% and North Coast-Nechako at 100.7%.
With a fourth wave on the rise, and proof of vaccination requirements rolling out from coast to coast, now is an important time to help Restaurants Canada gather industry insights, so we can continue to fight for the survival and revival of our hard-hit sector.
 
The information you provide in this survey will support our ongoing engagement with all levels of government across the country to ensure the needs of foodservice are addressed as part of evolving COVID-19 recovery plans.
 
This survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete and will remain open until Friday, October 15, 2021. 
In May 2021, amendments to the Employment Standards Act laid the groundwork for establishing minimum standards for permanent paid sick leave. Following the public engagement process, paid sick leave will be established through regulation and come into effect on January 1, 2022.

British Columbians are now invited to have their say on three proposed options for permanent paid sick leave shaped by their responses to the first phase of consultation.
 
The options paper has been posted on government’s engagement site and is available for comment until October 25. Three options have been developed that cover the minimum number of days: three, five and 10 days of paid sick leave.
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) and the Provincial & Territorial Tourism Industry Association (PTTIA), that includes TIABC, have formed a task force on the issue of rising insurance premiums in the tourism industry.
 
We are continuing to hear from operators concerned with commercial insurance access, premium increase and limited liability coverage. Insurance is a fundamental element in the industry’s ability to build back stronger post pandemic.
 
To help with advocacy work on this issue, please complete this survey by September 24th. We also request that you share the survey link with members and stakeholders to ensure as robust a response as possible. Thank you for your time and input. 
Braemar group has a large selection of goods available to sell as complete renovation is taking place within a Kelowna/ West Kelowna Property:

Details
  • Items have not been priced - so all offers will be considered
  • Purchaser is to pick up items
  • Large volume of items are available
  • Items include all linens and draperies, furniture and chairs, fitness equipment, pool equipment and more! 

If interested please contact Tanis at:
250-469-4935
WEBINAR |Best Practices in Hiring: Recruitment, Retention, & Government Reimbursements
DATE & TIME
Thursday, October 14, 2021 from 11AM - 12PM PDT

WITH HOSTS
Ginger Brunner, Senior HR Specialist with go2HR
Nickhil Thomas, Job Developer of WorkBC Richmond

Overview
Never has there been a more challenging time for employers to attract and retain employees. The BC Hotel Association is proud to partner with the teams at go2HR and WorkBC Richmond to deliver a webinar aimed at providing employers and Hiring Managers with tools and tips to support recruitment and retention, and how to save money in the process.

Explore important steps for attracting and keeping employees, from the team at go2HR, and learn about the WorkBC Wage Subsidy Program, where up to 50% of your new hire's wage can be reimbursed! Whether you want to re-hire laid-off employees or hire new employees, operators are eligible for this incentive at no cost.

Covered in This Webinar | Learn:
  • Tips and tools for employee recruitment and retention
  • How to hire and save up to 50% of the candidate's wages through the WorkBC Wage Subsidy program
  • News surrounding job fairs and employer information sessions
  • How to hire individuals from diverse backgrounds with different skills and abilities
COVID-19 Quick Links | Current Public Health Orders: Tools & Resources
As a reminder, the following province-wide public orders are currently in place:
 
The following regional public orders are also in place:
 
For more information about current restrictions, you can also visit these government websites:
Wondering how to properly respond to difficult guest situations? go2HR has updated their scripted guest messaging guidance.
The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is delighted to announce that it has given a total of over $1 million to hospitality and tourism workers facing financial crisis due to a health condition experienced by themselves or a family member.

 Beneficiaries of the charity include not only restaurant chefs and servers, hotel workers, and baristas, but many behind-the-scenes workers such as delivery drivers, sales representatives, writers, brewmasters, winemakers, and vineyard workers.

Over the years the BCHF’s mandate has expanded to include a scholarship program to foster the development of the next generation of hospitality industry workers and leaders. The charity has now given over $230,000 to more than 260 students, providing tangible support that shows we value our homegrown talent.

We congratulate our partners at BCHF for their incredible service in protecting our industry members when they need it most. To donate today click here!
Did you know there’s an Accessibility section in your HelloBC.com business listing? This feature helps to improve accessibility planning and enhance travel information for visitors with disabilities, as well as their friends and families. We encourage you to log in to your HelloBC.com account and specify whether your business offers accessible attributes in categories that include Mobility, Vision, Hearing, Cognitive and Sensory, and General. If you don’t have a HelloBC.com listing, register for free.
Google is now showing carbon emissions estimates for nearly every flight included in Google Flight search results. When searching for flights, users can see an estimate of emissions for flights and specific seats, and compare these emissions to average emissions for that flight route. The results can also be sorted to bring the greenest flights to the top. The news follows another climate-friendly travel initiative introduced by Google in the past month – badges that identify sustainable hotels.

Reminder - go2HR Resources | Employment Tracker, Workplace Vaccinations, Survey

As BC continues to battle the 4th wave of the global pandemic, new issues surrounding vaccination status continue to arise. Currently there is no provincial mandate for mandatory vaccination of staff outside of the health care setting. It is up to the individual business to decide on their own policy. How can an employer navigate this situation while balancing health & safety, human rights, privacy and other related legal requirements?

go2HR has compiled a comprehensive suite of resources to help employers understand the issues involved better, and to help them decide on an option that would work best for them.

The go2HR Employment Tracker reports on monthly changes in employment in the BC Tourism and Hospitality industry. The Tracker draws primarily from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a monthly household survey conducted by Statistics Canada. The LFS is the most timely source of data on the labour market across Canada.
Final Chance! Take go2HR Industry Survey and Win

go2HR needs your help! Take a survey and be entered into a draw for prizes valued at $1,500.
 
Tell us about the impact of COVID-19 on your operations, the human resource issues you face,
and what can be done to help industry in dealing with these issues going forward.
Click here to start the survey.
Mark Your Calendars
DATE & TIME
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

LOCATION
Delta Hotels by Marriott Kamloops

AIR CANADA FLIGHT CODE
NTP code: DCZUV3V1
Discount: 15%
BOOK YOUR HOTEL | DELTA HOTELS BY MARRIOTT CODE
November 15th—19th 2021
Group block : BCH
Simple Steps to Book your Room
1. Visit www.marriott.com/ykade
2. Select dates & special rates
4. Select & Enter your booking code
  • Single Kings (BCHBCHA)
  • Two Queens (BCHBCHB)
Both the BCHA & TIABC invite you to join us, along with our keynote speakers, at our respective Annual General Meetings.
 
Join us for a state of the industry update, with a focus on recovery and trends. Gain critical insights into the work each organization has led, programs and benefits, and network with industry colleagues.
Save the Date! | BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference, March 8-11, 2022

Mark your calendars! The 2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference officially has a date. Taking place in Prince George, March 8-11, 2022, the conference will be an informative multi-day conference aimed at supporting growth and celebrating industry.

Stay tuned for further updates coming soon!
Rapid Testing Info Session: Register Today
 
Rapid testing has long been seen as a possible tool to help employers manage COVID-19 in the workplace. However, until recently, these tests were not widely available and employers were unsure how to implement.
 
Safe Screen B.C. has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) to help businesses across the province access rapid antigen tests and set up onsite rapid COVID-19 workplace screening programs for asymptomatic employees, in support of B.C.’s Rapid Point of Care Testing Strategy.
 
Safe Screen B.C. provides businesses with the toolkits, resources and guidance to help set up onsite rapid COVID-19 workplace screening programs for employees and staff only.
At this time, Safe Screen B.C. will not be able to support companies looking to conduct screening for clients, customers, patients, visitors and family members
 
Safe Screen B.C. is offering info sessions to employers through this week. Please register to find out more about rapid testing in the workplace.
You’re invited to the 2021 TIAC Tourism Congress at the Westin Ottawa on November 30 to December 1 –
in-person & online
 
The pandemic has changed everything. But it’s also given us the opportunity to work together, adopt new ways of doing business, and reimagine what tourism looks like post-COVID-19. Come join the Tourism Industry Association of Canada at the 2021 Tourism Congress.

Reimagining the Future of Tourism: Rebuild, Reframe, and Rethink
November 3 & 4, 2021
 
TOTA's 2021 summit will be held in partnership with the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS), in collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
 
We invite you to come together as a tourism community to learn from everything we've been through and think differently about how we can co-create a vibrant and resilient tourism industry in B.C. This 2-day virtual event will have thought provoking workshops and panels, opportunities to learn from tourism leaders from around the globe, and time to network with industry colleagues.
 
The BCRTS Tourism Summit 2021 is open to all tourism stakeholders and GSTC members at no cost.
 
The BCRTS is a collaboration between the following five regional destination management organizations in B.C.: Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association, Northern BC Tourism Association, and Tourism Vancouver Island.
 
Post-Election Priorities with TIAC
 
On Day 1 of the election campaign, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau made specific commitments to the hardest hit businesses.
 
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) advocated throughout the election period for all parties to work with industry on;
·   targeted support for the hardest hit;  
·   delivery of a seamless proof of vaccination certification program; and,  
·   implementation of progressive strategies to address critical issues such as the labour shortage and traveller confidence.
 
Work on your behalf is far from over. We have a wide range of priorities we must tackle to bring the industry back to where it was pre-pandemic.
 
Please join TIAC President and CEO Beth Potter for a special Member TALK to discuss TIAC's post-election priorities and action plan, how you can engage and where additional support is needed.
 
Date: October 12th, 11:00am - noon (PDT)
 
Click here for more information and to register.
Info Session on Propel: A new wage subsidy
 
Need help bringing on new staff? Hiring students is a great way to build your team for short-term needs and to build a talent pipeline for the long term! And now you can access a wage subsidy of up to $7,500 through Propel, a brand new Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)!
 
Propel is offered through Tourism HR Canada, a Canadian organization with a mandate aimed at building a world-leading tourism workforce. Propel is specifically designed to support the tourism and hospitality sector.
 
Learn more about how your organization can take advantage of this federally funded wage subsidy program and how to bring on students from hospitality and tourism management, culinary arts, and other programs from across the province at this info session on Monday, November 15th at 2:00pm (Pacific).
 
Brought to you by the Talent MATCH Program, a collaboration between go2HR, the BC Museums Association, the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, and the Association for Co-operative Education & Work Integrated Learning, this info session will feature Rachel George and Joe Baker from Propel, who will explain how the program works and how to apply.
 
This info session is free, but you must register for it here.
 
Want more information on hiring students? Visit the Talent MATCH webpage for more details or contact Project Manager Debby Reis at TalentMatch@acewilbc.ca.
Announcing 2021 BC Liquor Conference Seminars
 
The BC Liquor Conference is back for a sixth year and we’re going hybrid!
 
Hosted by ABLE BC, this year’s conference will take place online and in-person on Monday, October 25, 2021. A portion of the tickets are available to attend in person at Soundhouse Studios in Vancouver. The remaining are available for virtual attendance.
 
Note: ABLE BC will be asking for proof of vaccination from all in-person guests.
 
No matter where you are in the province, tune in and get the liquor industry data, trends, and policy updates you can’t get anywhere else.
 
Register now for the 2021 BC Liquor Conference.
 
2021 BC Liquor Conference Seminars
 
This year’s conference schedule includes:
 
·   Industry Welcome and Update by ABLE BC’s Executive Director Jeff Guignard
·   LCRB Update
·   LDB Update
·   Retail Trends and Consumer Insights with Arterra, Labatt, and Spirits Canada
·   Preventing Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace with WorkSafeBC
·   How to win in the bar and restaurant business with David Hopkins, The 15 Group
·   Liquor Liability with Lorne Folick, Dolden Wallace Folick
·   Panel discussion with ABLE BC, BCHA, and TIABC on what’s next for BC’s tourism and hospitality industries
 
Reserve your spot now and join us in October.
Tipping Our Hat to Industry!
Have News or A Congrats You'd Like to Share? Contact kelsey@bcha.com
BC destinations, hotels, and resorts secure top honours in annual Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards!

A sincere and heartfelt congratulations to each property included on Condé Nast’s highly coveted Readers’ Choice Awards list! We are so proud to have such an incredible collection on destinations, hotels, and resorts across British Columbia.

The winners include:
Rossland's The Josie, Joins Marriott International Autograph Collection Hotels

William Cole Hotel, LP announced it has signed an agreement with Marriott International that adds The Josie in Rossland, BC to Marriott International’s exclusive Autograph Collection Hotels portfolio.

Regularly ranked among the best ski hotels in North America, the 106-room property sits at the base of RED Mountain Resort, the legendary independent, 3,850-acre (1,558-hectare) winter and summer playground, ranked ninth largest in skiable acres in North America. The Josie will be the ninth Canadian hotel to join Marriott’s Autograph Collection, bringing an eclectic, contemporary and authentic brand to one of the most sought-after ski resorts on the
continent.

Congratulations to General Manager, Jesse Crockett, and his phenomenal team on this exciting new partnership!
Tourism Thompson Okanagan's Regional Accessibility Specialist, Sonja Gaudet added to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame!

TOTA's very own Sonja Gaudet was recently added to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Sonja is a three-time Paralympic Gold Medallist in wheelchair curling. She continues to raise funds and awareness to improve accessible environments, recreation and experiences for all.
Sonja is TOTA's Regional Access & Inclusion Liaison and can be reached her at accessibility@totabc.com.
Industry News & Quick Links
BCHA INN THE NEWS


Ian Powell has retired as managing director of the Inn at Laurel Point, passing the keys to the Inner Harbour hotel over to his successor this week.

Powell’s 15 years at the ­Laurel Point caps a 45-year career in the hospitality industry, where he worked as general manager at various hotels across the country, including the ­Fairmont Empress in Victoria.

Congratulations once again on a well-deserved retirement Ian and cheers to Eda Koot on her next chapter! Read more
HOT OFF THE PRESS

Interior B.C. civic and tourism leaders say tens of millions of dollars in revenue and post-pandemic regional economic recovery are at risk unless the federal government restores international flights to Kelowna International Airport (YLW). "The international flights are very very frustrating for me, to be honest with you," airport director Sam Sammadar told CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton. Read more.

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada is making a bleak prediction about its members' ability to rapidly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The association says even with the very best travel conditions, Indigenous tourism operations are not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2028. A report from the association and the Conference Board of Canada shows modest recovery over the last year, but it still projects an overall 54 per cent decline since the pandemic hit last March. Read more.
INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

Recent weather disasters, social unrest and a heightened awareness of racial bias have prompted hoteliers to double down on their commitments to become better corporate citizens and do more to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. These are moves toward a social good, sure, but also have ramifications on hotel company P&Ls. Read more
Establishing specific but simple, comprehensive and flexible room types is the best way to pique interest among prospects and increase sales while making rooms management easier. Guest writer Benjamin Verot from HotelMinder shares his tips on how to configure hotel room types? Read more

Mastercard Economics Institute: U.K., U.S. and Australia Lead in New Small Business Formation, Which Grew 32% Year-over-year Glo... Read more
This new agreement is designed to create a seamless, integrated travel experience and allow eligible members to enjoy benefits from both Marriott Bonvoy and the Rakuten loyalty program. Read more
With the travel and tourism industry gradually recovering from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, destinations are aiming to take advantage of a pent-up appetite for foreign holidays. ForwardKeys’ Market Research Manager, Luis Millan, discusses the various strategies that tourist boards can employ to encourage the reactivation of travel to their destination. Read more
Comment Card
Thank you to our Vancouver Island hotel and tourism community! The BCHA team had a phenomenal time connecting with our industry last week as we toured the island, visiting Tofino, Courtenay, Parksville, and Nanaimo.

We listened, learned, and shared what we will do to pave a positive path forward.

<----- Click to see behind the scenes look at the event!
Last Laugh
From all of us at BCHA, we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend!