COVID-19 UPDATE & GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

COVID-19 Tourism Impact Survey

We are working in conjunction with TIABC, the BCDMOA and Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, on the survey attached, to ensure we have up-to-date information on the impacts of Covid-19 on the visitor economy. This survey is being led provincially by the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat, BC Hotel Association and the BCDMOA. The completion of this confidential survey allows us to be more effective in advocating on behalf of you in our interactions with the provincial and federal governments, and you will help all businesses in the region make their situation known to policymakers and other stakeholders.

Recognizing the demands on your time we have made the survey as short as possible and we would really appreciate your immediate attention. Thank you again for your time. This information is critical.

DBC Provincial Health Order Messaging Guidance

The current PHO strongly advises the public to avoid non-essential travel to, from and within the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky and Sunshine Coast areas until November 23rd.  DBC has created messaging guidance for tourism entities located within Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health Regions.  For more information about the latest Provincial Health Orders, click here.

TOURISM VANCOUVER NEWS

Vancouver Police Department 2021 Budget - Make Your Voice Heard

The City of Vancouver is contemplating its 2021 budget, which is set to be submitted for approval on December 3rd. The budget council is considering three taxation rate options – with two options resulting in cuts to the policing budget, and the third involving the removal of 120 officers from the streets.

The Vancouver Police Board is open to hearing organizations’ thoughts on how to proceed, including opinions regarding possible police budget reductions; the importance of public safety and the safety of citizens in and around your community; and, concerns that there may be if the VPD is not adequately resourced.

It is crucial that this decision is not made without the voices and opinions of those who are directly affected.

Tourism Vancouver CEO, Royce Chwin will be submitting a letter on behalf of Tourism Vancouver with the position that We are concerned and do not support the consideration of reductions to the Vancouver Police Department budget and personnel before and until other shared options are found.

We ask you all to please take the time to draft a short letter to the Vancouver Police Board. Submissions must be received by November 21st.

For ease of submission, Tourism Vancouver has compiled a short letter template for you or your organization to customize and submit via email.  Click on the button below to auto-populate your email submission then copy and paste the template and customize your submission.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS

Plug In BC Incentive Increased

Plug In BC's Specialty Use Electric Vehicle Incentive (SUVI) Program has been increased or Tourism Operators from 33% to 66% effective October 30, 2020, and will be available until March 31, 2021.  The maximum cap is $100,000. 

A local example of a Tourism Business taking making changes to their fleet with a rebate through the SUVI program, Harbour Air Seaplanes has bought a fully electric, zero-emission passenger shuttle bus from GreenPower Motor Company, a BC-based company that is taking steps to further green technology development, economic activity, investment and job creation. Harbour Air plans to use the shuttle bus to pick up and drop off passengers between Harbour Air’s downtown Vancouver and Richmond locations and the Vancouver International Airport.

WTTC Safe Travels Stamp Update

Currently Tourism Vancouver has registered 51 businesses who have signed on to the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp.

This is a tremendous response in the first couple weeks of the launch of the program in Vancouver. We encourage tourism businesses who now have the stamp to speak to other partners in their supply-chain ecosystem who are customer facing to sign on for the stamp.

If your business is in one of the following categories, please click on the link below for additional details on how you too can register!

• Hospitality (hotels and restaurants)
• Outdoor shopping and retail
• Aviation
• Airports
• Tour Operators
• Convention Centres, Meeting, Events, and organizers
• Attractions
• Short Term Rentals
• Car Rentals
• Insurance
• Adventure Tourism

Help us promote your Holiday products, offers and experiences.

Immediately following the expiry of the additional Provincial Health Orders announced this past weekend (and barring any extensions of those orders), Tourism Vancouver will be launching a campaign (November 25^th) , to promote safe enjoyment of our holiday attractions, displays, menus, events and hotel offers. We are actively collecting information about available holiday, festive and winter-themed inventory and we are asking our members to help us gather that information.  There are three ways in which you can ensure that your Vancouver holiday product and offers are included in the promotion:

1. Complete the attached form to update us on your winter operation status. For the purposes of this form, Winter is described as the period between November 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021.
2. Update your member listing with your relevant holiday offerings.
3. Send us your assets. We need any holiday imagery (.jpg or .png) or video B-roll you may have, the URL address for us to link to and a copy of your press release if applicable. Please forward these to Caitlin Jones (cjones@tourismvancouver.com)

Please complete these as soon as possible, preferably no later than November 20^th. We will accept content after this date, but with no guarantee that it will be available on the campaign landing page at the time of launch.

INDUSTRY UPDATES

VIA Rail Vancouver Service Resumption

VIA is set to begin a gradual resumption of service on the Canadian from Vancouver on December 11th, 2020.  Weekly service will be available to destinations including Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Destination Canada

Business Events Industry Webinar

November 27 | 11AM PST | Webinar Passcode:950995

Join Gloria Loree, Senior Vice President, Marketing Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer and Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, Executive Director, Business Events where they will provide an update on Destination Canada’s corporate strategic direction and an update on Business Events planning for 2021. Time for discussion will be allotted as we want to hear from Team Canada partners.

Travel Trade

International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) World Tour

Asia Pacific: November 17-19 | Europe, Middle East & Africa: November 23-25 | Americas: December 1-3

Tourism Vancouver will attend the first virtual ILTM World Tour to meet with buyers across global markets that focus on high-yield customers looking for unique travel experiences. This is a great opportunity to meet with new buyers to promote Vancouver as a travel destination and gather key insights for global travel trends. Krista Alcazar will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

Meetings & Conventions - A Fresh Perspective on Engagement

November

MPI Chicago Area Chapter - Signature Luncheon
November 24 | 11:30AM - 1:45PM CST | Virtual

Join us virtually at MPI CAC’s 5th Annual 2020 Signature Luncheon, November 24, 2020. Speaker Dr. Rebecca Heiss will help attendees overcome evolutionary limitations - the ancient fears that hold us back, fears that we're often not even consciously aware we have. Lacy Hawley will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

MPI Ottawa - Festive Dinner
November 25 | 5:00PM - 7:30PM EST | Virtual
MPI Ottawa annual Festive Dinner celebration.  Wine tasting, cook-along demonstration, networking and games - a chance to catch up with friends – new and old! You don’t want to miss this opportunity to support the events industry and kickoff the holidays with the MPI Ottawa Chapter. Michael Drake and Michelle Taylor will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

December

Association Forum - Honors Gala

December 14 | 4PM - 6PM CST | Virtual
Association Forum’s 2020 Honors Awards program will provide accolades and recognition to three outstanding association professionals and at least one supplier partner member of Association Forum for their outstanding achievements in advancing the association management profession. DJ and virtual dance party before and after awards! Lacy Hawley and Jackie Kavcak will be attending virtually on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

Association Forum - Holiday Showcase

December 15, 16 | Day 1: 12PM - 5PM CST; Day 2: 8am - 3pm CST | Virtual

For the last 32 years, Holiday Showcase has been a celebration of the Chicagoland association community. In a year like no other, Holiday Showcase remains the best way to connect association communities from across the country. In a brand-new, two-day virtual experience, we’ve designed a program to help you make 2021 a success.  Lacy Hawley will be attending and running a virtual tradeshow booth on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.