Industry Update | September 6

Today's update includes:

General Updates
BC's Accommodation Sector Performance | STR Highlights
New Protections for Air Travellers Take Flight
Creating a More Inclusive Future | Canada’s Announces first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan
REMINDER | Have Your Say: Evaluation of Economic Grant Programs
Green Key Global Offering Sustainability Certification Plaques for Your Hotel
Watch Now | Information Session on Propel Student Work Placement Program
REMINDER | Register for BCHA Live Industry Update Series in Prince Rupert & Terrace
Member Spotlight | Destination Osoyoos
Are You Legally Employing Temporary Foreign Workers? Tips on Documentation
News - See more below!
BC | Canada News
World News
Industry Trends
Tipping Our Hat to Industry!
Four Seasons Whistler and Other BC Hotels & Resorts Win Big at World Travel Awards!
Mark Your Calendars
Comment Card | Thoughts and Comments from Our Industry
Last Laugh | A Little Something to Make Our Members Smile

BC's Accommodation Sector

Performance | STR Highlights

BC's accommodation community has seen a strong recovery this summer, with occupancy up across the province in comparison to recent years. See below for key highlights from the last week of August:

British Columbia had a 83.0% occupancy from Sunday-Thursday and a 87.0% - occupancy during the weekend, up 0.9% compared to the same week in 2019.
British Columbia had an ADR of $259.83 from Sunday-Thursday and an ADR of $286.76 during the weekend, up 23.2% compared to the same week in 2019.
British Columbia had a RevPAR of $215.72 from Sunday-Thursday and a RevPAR of $249.61 during the weekend, up 24.3% compared to the same week in 2019.

To be included in this research, we encourage our members to sign up with STR. STR provides benchmarking reports to accommodations owners & operators so you can track your monthly performance in Occupancy, ADR (average daily rate), and RevPAR (revenue per available room) versus your competitors and/or your local market.

New Protections for Air Travellers Take Flight

Effective September 8, the Air Passenger Protection Regulations will require that airlines refund passengers for cancellations and long delays if customers can't be rebooked on an available flight within 48 hours. Airlines will be required to provide a refund within 30 days to the original payment method.

Learn More

Creating a More Inclusive Future | Canada’s Announces first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan

Launched on August 28, 2022, Canada’s first Action Plan aims at advancing rights and equality for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) people in Canada.

This Plan intends to create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, for present and future generations. The Action Plan includes several new initiatives, organized in 6 priority areas, to be implemented over the next five years. Read the official news release to learn more.

Learn More

REMINDER | Have Your Say: Evaluation of Economic Grant Programs

The province is seeking participation in a survey to understand experiences with these economic grant programs:

Please note, responses will be reported in aggregate format only without identifying information of individual respondents. The survey will be open until September 18, 2022.

If you have questions about the survey, please contact Ministry of Jobs Economic Recovery and Innovation staff at businessrecoverygrantprogram@gov.bc.ca.

Take Survey

Green Key Global Offering Sustainability Certification Plaques for Your Hotel

Green Key Global offers certification your guests can trust. Now, you can showcase your sustainability action and utilize the power of the Green Key Global brand with a sustainability certification plaque. Each plaque is carefully crafted and is made from recycled materials which can be displayed in your lobby.

Learn More

Watch Now | Information Session on Propel Student Work Placement Program

Coordinated by Tourism HR Canada, the Propel Student Work Placement Program offers tourism and hospitality employers access to wage subsidies when they hire a post-secondary student for work-integrated learning: an internship, a co-op placement, a work experience placement, and more. This is a great avenue to explore should you be seeking employee. Watch below for more information on the program.

Watch Now

REMINDER | Register for BCHA Live Industry Update Series in Prince Rupert & Terrace

As part of our commitment to engage and hear from members and colleagues across BC, the BCHA continues to host a number of in-person information & networking sessions. NEXT STOP? Prince Rupert and Terrace!

These FREE sessions include:

An engagement session
Updates on advocacy efforts both provincially and federally
Information on current and emerging issues, along with ways to mitigate risk
Tools, resources, and benefits available to members
Networking portion with food and drinks provided

Member Spotlight | Destination Osoyoos

Destination Osoyoos is a Destination Marketing Organization that promotes the beautiful Resort Municipality of Osoyoos, BC. Destination Osoyoos is a non-profit organization governed by a local volunteer Board of Directors, which works closely and collaboratively with the Town of Osoyoos, the Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen, Destination BC, tourism stakeholders, and organizations to support the economic, physical, social and cultural well-being of Osoyoos.

For more information contact Kelley Glazer at (250) 495 5070 or kglazer@destinationosoyoos.com, or visit www.destinationosoyoos.com

Are You Legally Employing Temporary Foreign Workers? Tips on Documentation

For both the benefit of the employee and employer, it is important to ensure that any temporary foreign workers that you have employed meet all employment and immigration protocols. We have put together a quick guide on steps you should take, along with suggestions for trusted third-party immigration contractors that can help your business.

Learn More

Industry News & Quick Links

BC & CANADA

WORLD NEWS

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Tipping Our Hat to Industry

Four Seasons Whistler and Other BC Hotels & Resorts Win Big at World Travel Awards!

A MAJOR congratulations are in order for the team at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler. The property has been voted North America’s Leading Resort in the 29th World Travel Awards! The resort outperformed other American-based nominees such as Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, the Four Season Resort Lanai in Hawaii, Ritz-Carltons in Santa Barbara and Bachelor Gulch, and Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin in Florida, to name a few.

In addition, we would also like to recognize the other BC hotels & resorts that nabbed titles that include:

Brentwood Bay Resort - Canada's Leading Resort & BC's Leading Resort
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge - Canada's Leading Wilderness Resort
Fairmont Vancouver Airport - Canada's Leading Airport Hotel & BC's Leading Airport Hotel
L'Hermitage Hotel Vancouver - Canada's Leading Boutique Hotel
Rosewood Hotel Georgia - Canada's Leading Luxury Hotel
Loden Hotel - BC's Leading Boutique Hotel
JW Marriott Parq Vancouver - BC's Leading Business Hotel
Fairmont Pacific Rim - BC's Leading Hotel