Having travelled to over 40 countries and extensively within Canada and the United States, I’ve lost count of the number of airports I’ve visited over the years. At the same time I remember many of them for different reasons.

For example, at Palm Springs International Airport, I feel totally relaxed because of the vibe and the fact that many passenger services are outdoors in the warm, scented air. Conversely, the three airports that service the New York City region are not what one would expect from one of the greatest cities in the world.

Obviously the airport I frequent the most is YVR which still tops virtually all of the major airports I’ve been to in my travels (admittedly I’m a tad biased). It’s beautifully designed and offers good amenities, not to mention is the perfect spot for people watching, which as you know is a pastime I enjoy while waiting for flights. In recent months, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of arriving and departing passengers in the domestic, USA and international terminals. YVR seems to be bustling again with nary a flight that isn’t completely full.

YVR sources tell me that it’s going to be a busy summer with Canada and USA airline capacity at two percent above 2019 numbers, which ultimately bodes well for the entire province. However, the news isn’t all positive. BC is currently trailing the national average and other peer provinces for airline seat capacity. In fact, excluding the United States, international airline capacity remains 26 percent behind 2019 largely due to the slow return of service from China. Only Mexico and the South Pacific are above pre-pandemic numbers.

As I’ve mentioned before, for an industry that relies on the movement of people, connecting BC communities and increasing air service capacity are critical to rebuilding our visitor economy. Hence the reason YVR recently put forward a recommendation to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport to partner with BC airports and establish a merit-based Air Service Attraction Fund to secure more direct flights to British Columbia.

The proposed fund would help increase overnight visitor expenditures, support jobs and connect more people with unique experiences in all regions. Moreover, it would give BC a strategic advantage over other Canadian provinces, as well as a competitive edge over some of our American competitors.

While some destination management organizations and local airports are contributing to route development initiatives, additional investment is needed, especially to build higher yield international traffic that, as referenced earlier, hasn’t yet fully materialized.

TIABC offered its support for the fund and spoke with the province about the opportunity on several occasions. On a related note, we also sent a letter on behalf of Air Canada in their recent pitch to the federal government to add frequencies in the bilateral agreement between Canada and the UAE to allow direct flights between Vancouver and Dubai.

Unfortunately, the BC Air Service Attraction Fund isn’t going to fly just yet. While acknowledging the need, the province has not set aside any budget for now. It doesn’t mean the idea is grounded, but more work on the part of all partners is necessary to see it take off. Stay tuned.

While waiting to catch a recent flight out of YVR, I observed a number of passengers dressed up in animal and superhero costumes, sport uniforms, and even pajamas. I thought now I’ve seen everything and then it dawned on me that these were Canada Rugby Sevens fans who were in town for the tournament at BC Place. It’s one event where you stand out if you’re not dressed in a costume of some sort.

Although mildly amused by their outfits, I couldn't help but wonder what it was like for these folks to clear security. Alas, just another day of people watching at my favourite major airport.

Walt Judas,

CEO, TIABC

Does your tourism business currently hold a Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF), or Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) loan? If so, TIAC wants to hear from you!

Last year, the government extended the repayment deadline for CEBA loan holders to qualify for partial loan forgiveness to December 31, 2023; but in recent months TIAC has heard from some operators that are concerned about their capacity to repay by then. As a result, TIAC is launching a study with Nanos Research to more fully understand the issue across Canada. The information obtained will provide TIAC with the critical information it needs to develop its strategic advocacy proposals to best serve the sector.

The Province announced earlier this week they are providing Okanagan College with $44.8 million for a new Centre for Food, Wine and Tourism, which will include modern teaching spaces, food labs, beverage research and development facilities, and common spaces.

The centre will bring together all food, wine, and tourism programming on campus. It will also be home to the Okanagan Chef School and the college’s fully functioning, student-staffed restaurant, "Infusions". The new centre will also allow Okanagan College to expand their culinary enrolment by more than 125 students a year, and hospitality and tourism enrolment by 450 students per year.

The centre will focus on addressing the labour shortage in food and tourism, supporting homegrown education in culinary arts, local food and beverage production, and hospitality services.

Read the official announcement HERE.

The Province announced earlier this week they are renewing and expanding its commitment to make BC parks more inclusive and accessible with the release of the BC Parks Commitment to Inclusion.

The commitment comes with additional funding to upgrade park facilities to accessible standards, so that more people can experience the benefits of being in nature.

The Commitment to Inclusion was created with input from community organizations that serve equity-deserving groups. The groups provided insight on how their members use provincial parks and what barriers members face when accessing them.

Accessibility upgrades are being made in several parks throughout the province, and universal design standards are incorporated into new campgrounds and recreation expansion projects.

Read the full announcement HERE.

Applications are now open for Destination BC’s Accessibility and Inclusion Committee (AIC). This new advisory committee will support the advancement of accessibility and inclusion at Destination BC in the pursuit of a more inclusive and accessible tourism industry.

The AIC will support the meaningful implementation of the Accessible British Columbia Act and Regulation, and support Destination BC’s goal of identifying, removing, and preventing barriers for Destination BC employees and those interacting with the organization.

The AIC will consist of a minimum of eight and up to 11 appointed members, the majority of which will be either persons with disabilities and/or individuals who support, or are from organizations that support persons with disabilities.

The appointed roles are for up to a three-year term beginning September 1, 2023. This call for applications is not limited to those within the tourism industry.

More information on the new Accessibility & Inclusion Committee, its mandate and terms of reference are available HERE.

The Government of BC has announced they are investing $75 million to help fund projects that will expand cellular to at least another 550 kilometres of highway by 2027.

Funded by the Connecting British Columbia program, administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust, this builds on a $15-million investment made by the Province for highway cellular expansion in 2020, which is supporting 532 km of additional highway cellular coverage. Projects underway include 252 km and two rest areas to complete continuous coverage along the stretch of Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert, known as the Highway of Tears.

Read the official announcement HERE.

A Reminder - effective April 1st the Government of Canada is set to increase federal excise duties on alcohol by 6.3% - the largest increase in over 40 years. On your behalf, ABLE BC has been working behind the scenes with partners such as Beer Canada to see this tax increase halted or capped while industry is still recovering financially from the pandemic.

In response to industry’s concerns, on March 22nd, Conservative MP's introduced an Opposition Motion in the House of Commons calling on government to cancel this tax increase. While the motion is non-binding, it passed in the House by a vote of 170 to 149, showing that most Parliamentarians agree this is the wrong time to increases taxes on alcohol producer.

To stop this tax increase, ABLE BC is seeking your help. As the federal government prepares to release its Budget 2023 on March 28th, this is the last opportunity to cancel this tax increase.

Please write to your Member of Parliament today to ask them to halt this unfair tax increase on beer, wine, and spirits. You can find your local MP's contact information HERE.

Read more about the MP's vote against alcohol tax increase HERE.

The Luxury Tax remains and is causing significant uncertainty in the higher end of the market. Boating BC has provided a good article from the National Post summing up the negative implications of the tax: READ HERE.

Boating BC along with counterparts across Canada continue to gather data on lost sales and job losses as a result of the tax and will continue to engage Federal MPs and government staff on a concerted level to have the tax rescinded. There remains confusion regarding used vessels and where the tax applies. Boating BC and Boating Ontario are reaching out to CRA officials to get a clearer definition of tax-exempted boats. All recreational boats that have been registered in any country to an end user are not subject to the tax.

Destination Greater Victoria Accepting Nominations for 2023 Life Member Award

Do you know an outstanding individual in Greater Victoria who should be recognized for their exceptional contributions to the tourism industry? Destination Greater Victoria is currently accepting nominations for the Life Member Award.

The Life Member is an individual who has contributed their time, knowledge and abilities to the enhancement of the tourism industry and/or to the community and who has demonstrated a significant and sustained commitment toward the enhancement and reputation of Destination Greater Victoria. They will be recognized at Destination Greater Victoria’s AGM on April 28th to receive this prestigious award.

The Life Member is invited to attend meetings of the organization, is exempt from dues, and enjoys almost all the rights and privileges of full membership.

For more information and to nominate a deserving individual, visit HERE by April 4th.

You're invited to participate in the Exporter Insights Survey being conducted by BC's Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. The survey will help provide insights to the Province on the conditions that exporters face and on the characteristics of businesses (size, region, value of exports etc.). The survey is also designed to collect information on the contributions of underrepresented groups to our economy.

This survey is targeted at businesses that export goods and services including tourism businesses that sell goods and services to visitors in BC. Recognizing your time is important, we have created a short 20 minute survey.

Your knowledge and experience will assist in better understanding exporting businesses in BC and so your participation is greatly appreciated.

Your responses to this survey will be kept anonymous and should take approximately 20 minutes.

Tourism Week is an annual invitation for all tourism partners to come together to champion and promote Canada’s destinations, tourism businesses, and employees – from coast to coast to coast. After more than two devastating years for tourism, border restrictions have finally been removed. The rebuilding of Canada’s visitor economy is now underway, but there’s a long way to go before tourism reclaims being the $105-billion economic powerhouse it was pre-pandemic. That’s why this year’s theme is CANADA: Powered by Tourism!

TIABC will once again be partnering with Destination BC to introduce a number of initiatives or ideas for DMOs and businesses to implement. Preparation is currently underway as we gather and develop resources that will provide you with tools to help us spread the message that #BCTourismCounts. Until then, mark Tourism Week 2022 in your calendar and start preparing.

The 2023 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference could not have been possible without the support of our valued sponsors. We were proud to partner with like-minded organizations that are as passionate about the prosperity of our sector as we are.

In each newsletter over the next several weeks, we will highlight our conference sponsors to acknowledge their role as industry supporters.

Suzanne Girard Travel & Communications (SGTC) was founded by Suzanne Girard and is based in Vancouver. This boutique agency provides a unique blend of travel media relations and travel trade representation to their diverse base of clients.

Suzanne’s expertise is in establishing and building travel media and sales relationships and strategic media relations within the luxury travel market. SGTC has worked in New York City, Western Canada (Vancouver and Victoria), the South Pacific, Costa Rica and key European travel markets. As a result, they can offer clients an in-depth knowledge of both domestic and international travel.

Click HERE to learn more about the SGTC.

The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) are happy to announce an exceptional offer to TIABC members! Effective now, TIABC members in good standing can enrol in TIAC’s Associate Program FOR ONLY $25.

TIAC is the national voice for the travel and tourism sector and acts on behalf of Canadian tourism businesses promoting and supporting policies, programs, and activities that will benefit the sector’s growth, development, and prosperity.

By visiting this link, you can become a TIAC Associate Member, enjoy access to a range of TIAC benefits and add your voice to National efforts.

Note: If you are already a TIAC associate member, you will receive a renewal notice before your anniversary date. If you are currently a full TIAC member, you already get enhanced advantages. You will continue to enjoy added benefits and savings over and above what is available to associate members, including the TIAC Member Advantage program at Rendez-vous Canada.

Contact info@tiabc.ca for more information or visit our website HERE.

go2HR and Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) invite tourism industry partners from the VCM region to join this special webinar.

We've heard from many tourism employers that recruiting and retaining staff can be difficult. In this free webinar, we'll share practical advice and resources about attracting and keeping employees. There will also be a chance for employers to ask questions.

Date: Tuesday, March 28

Time: 10:00 - 11:00 am (PT)

Registration is now open HERE.

The BC Chamber of Commerce is welcoming Premier David Eby and members of cabinet to its annual Premier & Cabinet Luncheon, a flagship event that offers business leaders the opportunity to connect with the Executive Council of the provincial government.

Attracting 200 guests from across the province, the event offers a coveted opportunity for leaders from private and not-for-profit sectors and First Nations to engage in deep dialogue with the Premier and Cabinet on issues that matter most in today’s business climate.

During the event, Premier Eby will deliver comments from the podium before engaging in an exclusive on-stage conversation with Fiona Famulak, president and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce.

Date: Tuesday, March 28

Time: 11:15 am - 12:45 pm

Location: Hotel Grand Pacific, Victoria

Learn more and purchase tickets HERE.

This free information session will provide insights into the benefits of hiring refugee talent, the workings of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), and the process of hiring skilled refugees. Moreover, it will also include information on the support available throughout this process offered by Talent Beyond Boundaries, Jumpstart Refugee Talent, Windmill Microlending, and their partners.

Members of your organization can greatly benefit from this event. Therefore, we would like to request you to extend this invitation to any employers located in the Vancouver area who might be interested in enriching their team with diverse and skilled refugee employees.

To register for the Vancouver event, please refer interested BC employers to click on the link below.

Date: March 30th

Time: 1:30 PM (PDT)

Learn more and register HERE.

Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) is an international recognition of the positive social and economic benefits that meetings, trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, conventions and incentive travel programs bring to people, businesses and communities.

On March 30, industry associations across Canada will mark GMID by hosting educational events and encouraging their local convention centres, meeting venues, hotels and attractions to light in blue - #LightingUpBlue

A GMID toolkit has also been developed to assist in the promotion of Global Meetings Industry Day 2023 and to educate around the importance of business events. See the link below.

Designed for DMO's, Visitor Centres, and Provincial Experience Sector Associations, Destination BC’s free, two-day Crisis Communication Planning training series will coach participants with a step-by-step approach to developing a crisis communication plan.

This practical training will share best practices for crisis communication management - how to prepare, how to respond, and how to learn from each crisis we face - to ensure your organization is ready to respond when the unexpected happens. Please note that this is an application-based program with very limited capacity - only one representative per organization will be accepted, so apply soon to reserve your spot. The seven-hour Crisis Communication Planning series is delivered across two days, with the next series scheduled for April 12 & 13, 2023.

Learn more and apply HERE.

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) is pleased to offer sustainability training, workshops and support completely FREE to industry. Made possible with the generous support of the Government of Canada through the Tourism Relief Fund, TIAC has secured the services of experts in the field to deliver a valuable program.

The program will be offered in cohorts, supporting participants to go deeper in sustainability and receive guidance on how to align with the UN SDGs and find practical actions to make tourism a force for good. This is a great learning and networking opportunity, with offerings including:

Learn more about the Path to Sustainable Tourism HERE. Space is limited, so sign up today!

The Pathway to Net Zero Carbon training MasterClass will provide participants with the key steps to measuring the carbon footprint of their organization based on the internationally accepted Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, and how to uncover the opportunities to both reduce emissions and save money. It is broken into the following three steps:

Step 1: The Carbon Challenge - review GHG accounting and reporting standards, and methods.

Step 2: How to Measure Your Carbon Footprint.

Step 3: We will help the participants on “How to Set Carbon Reduction Goals & Prioritize Actions based on a Net Zero Goal”.

This program includes three workshops:

Over 50 tourism businesses and events are expected to be exhibiting at TRUE Penticton, and it is completely FREE to attend, but donations of food items for the Penticton Community Fridge and Pantry are accepted and greatly appreciated. There will be adventure operators, rentals and tour companies, festivals and events, wine and craft beer tastings, artisan food samples, a kids scavenger hunt as well as the opportunity to win fantastic prizes.

Date: April 2

Time: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

Location: Penticton Trade and Conference Centre

Visit HERE for more information and to register.

Take advantage of the early bird rate and SAVE BIG! Early bird pricing ends March 17th and includes complete access to the industry welcome reception at BNA Brewing Co., all conference sessions, the Summit Marketplace, and the BC Hotel Association Award Gala and Reception.

Dates: May 1-2

Location: Delta by Marriott Hotels, Grand Okanagan Resort, Kelowna

Learn more and register HERE.

A world-class conference that connects international buyers with Canadian sellers of tourism products, this year’s Quebec City event will bring together approximately 1,700 tourism business leaders for more than 30,000 one-on-one appointments, experienced-based luncheons, exclusive breakfasts, and engaging networking opportunities. Get your brand in front of an audience with influence at RVC2023!

Dates: May 30 - June 2

Location: Quebec City

Learn more and register HERE.

This year’s AGM and Conference theme is Focusing Forward… Together.

Over the course of two days, public sector, private sector and Indigenous leaders will inspire us, challenge us to think outside-the-box and take steps to work together and chart a path to a future where businesses prosper, British Columbians thrive and communities flourish.

Date: May 31- June 2

Location: Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, Whistler

Registration is now open! View the program and register HERE.

We are pleased to announce the dates for the next annual BCAC Conference. It will take place in Prince George, ("Base camp to the North" and home to YXS) at the "Courtyard by Marriott" hotel.

More information including conference theme, agenda, list of speakers, as well as hotel and travel partner recommendations to follow soon.

Questions or Sponsorships? Ask Dave!

The Art of Leadership Women focuses on the topics and trends most critical to leaders. This unique one-day conference features a riveting collection of world leaders, business icons, academics, and bestselling authors who inspire action.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn improved ways of leveraging their value, elevating their skills, and developing the strategies required to take their leadership and their organizations to the next level. This conference is not just for women, but for anyone who wants to champion change on behalf of women.

Date: June 6

Time: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre

Learn more and purchase tickets HERE.

Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca.

TIABC recognizes that our members, stakeholders and staff occupy the ceded, unceded and traditional territories of Indigenous Nations across British Columbia. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to live, work and play on the lands that our Indigenous friends and First Nations ancestors honour and care for.