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April 21, 2021

Tourism Vancouver
Tourism Vancouver

Dear members,

There has been an overwhelming amount of new information and updates put out by government this week. Tourism has been recognized at both the Federal and Provincial levels with a variety of new funding programs and extensions on others.

Our team has worked hard to distill the most relevant pieces to help you make sense of these programs and funding supports. Below you will find a summary of supports for our industry from both the Provincial and Federal budget announcements. While these funds are appreciated and we are glad to see our sector acknowledged, we will continue our efforts to ensure that our sector survives to the rebuild stage. For example, we will continue to advocate for further government financial relief, and that funds get out the door to you in addition to working with TIABC and TIAC to extend the wage subsidy and rent subsidy programs to the end of the year.

Critically, more details regarding the travel orders will be made available on Friday.  Given the current restrictions, Tourism Vancouver will pause some promotional parts of the Love Vancouver campaign. The team is currently evaluating timing and will provide an update to members in next week’s eNews.

Our partners at TIABC and BCHA are working on a communications toolkit for businesses to use. It is essential during this time that we are a unified voice in endorsing current health orders and a partner to government in stopping the spread of the virus. Let’s work together to save as much summer business as we can.

We understand that you will have questions which is why we are hosting a webinar on Tuesday, April 27th where I will be joined by Walt Judas, CEO of TIABC and Ingrid Jarret, CEO of BCHA to share advocacy initiatives underway. We look forward to hearing from you then.

Stay well,

Royce Chwin

Tourism Vancouver Team Member, President & CEO

  • Tourism Supports from the Provincial Budget:
    • $100 million through Budget 2021 to support tourism recovery starting in 2021-22, including support for major anchor attractions that help make British Columbia a unique destination.
    • An additional $20 million in Budget 2021 for community destination development grants that will help communities prepare for future visitors through new tourism infrastructures like trails and airport improvements.
    • $5 million to help local Indigenous tourism businesses through the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund, part of a cross-government effort to help all aspects of the tourism industry.
    • Allocation of $3.25 billion in pandemic contingency funding that can be used for sectors such as tourism based on virus transmission rates over the next few weeks.

  • Tourism Supports from the Federal Budget:
    • $100 million to Destination Canada for marketing campaigns to help Canadians and other visitors discover and explore the country.
    • $2.4 million in 2021-22 to the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada to help the Indigenous tourism industry rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
    • Extension of the wage and rent subsidies until September 25, 2021. It also proposes to gradually decrease the subsidy rate, beginning July 4, 2021, in order to ensure an orderly phase-out as vaccinations are completed.
    • $500 million Tourism Relief Fund, administered by the regional development agencies (RDAs). The Fund will support investments by local tourism businesses in adapting their products and services to public health measures and other investments that will help them recover from the pandemic and position themselves for future growth.
    • $200 million through the regional development agencies to support major festivals.
    • $200 million through Canadian Heritage to support local festivals, community cultural events, outdoor theatre performances, heritage celebrations, local museums, amateur sports events, and more.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS

 

In mid-February Tourism Vancouver launched the #LoveVancouver campaign to celebrate what locals adore most about their beloved city. Since then, we’ve seen the community and industry rally together to share their love for all things Vancouver, and we want to extend a thank you to all members who have already been sharing content on their social media channels using the campaign hashtag. #LoveVancouver has been used in 38,700+ posts on Instagram, and the campaign itself has seen 126,000+ pageviews, 6,950+ referrals to members, and 3,950+ entries into the #LoveVancouver contest.

As Spring marches on, don’t forget to share the campaign with your own audiences, and refer to the Toolkit if you need tips for social, or image examples. Posts using the #LoveVancouver hashtag will be featured on the Social Feed on the campaign homepage at tourismvancouver.com/love.

We recognize the sizable investments and work that has been done by our industry to not only be safe but to create experiences that add to the vibrancy of our destination. Tourism Vancouver will continue to support and promote your businesses and offers through all of our owned channels and other means, as much as possible, and in accordance with PHO orders.

Patio Season Has Launched in Vancouver

With recent indoor dining restrictions and the shift to spring temperatures, Vancouver patios are now in full swing. Establishments have learned to be nimbly resourceful, rapidly sprucing up existing patio spaces while opening up new al fresco areas for welcoming diners. 

#LoveVancouver Neighbourhoods: Marpole & Chinatown 

Our next two neighbourhoods in our #LoveVancouver Neighbourhoods Series may look very different from street-view, but they share equally important roles in the diverse cultural makeup of our city. 

The Da Vinci Experience Brings More Immersive Art to Vancouver for Summer 2021 

More than 500 years after he lived, Vancouver and British Columbia will have the exclusive opportunity to walk through the life and studio of Leonardo Da Vinci in an immersive experience. 

TOURISM VANCOUVER WEBINARS & EVENTS

Recording - April 21st Tourism Vancouver Webinar: Navigating the Extranet - A comprehensive Guide for All Users

This morning we held the next webinar in our series of complimentary programming for members and partners. This "Navigating the Extranet - A comprehensive Guide for All Users" provided training and skills refresh to new members and experienced member contacts alike. Topics covered included updating member listing descriptions, images and social media, adding or inactivating contacts to the database, updating amenities, viewing and responding to leads and service requests from Tourism Vancouver's sales teams, viewing Partner Bulletins including research, convention calendar, FuturePace report and other important information, and paying invoices online.

Click below to view the recording, or visit our Member Webinar Resources page

View Recording

Webinar Registration: BC Tourism Coalition Advocacy & Provincial Travel Restrictions Update

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 | 09:00am - 10:00am | Online via Zoom 

Royce Chwin, President & CEO of  Tourism Vancouver, will be joined by BCHA President & CEO, Ingrid Jarrett and TIABC CEO, Walt Judas for a live webinar on Tuesday, April 27.
During this webinar, members will hear about the advocacy work done by the BC Tourism Coalition, priorities for the group moving forward, and any updates to current travel restrictions. There will also be a Q&A period following the presentation. 
You are welcome to submit your questions prior to the webinar and we will do our best to address them during the session.

RSVP

Broadway Subway Project - Public Open House

Station Design Advisory Process
April 29 - May 12 | Virtual

The purpose of this second virtual open house is to summarize the feedback received from the first open house and to present the proposed final designs for the above-ground portions of the stations, including additional information about landscaping and station art, next steps for construction, and how to stay involved.
Participate online between April 29 and May 12, 2021. Input from this open house will be considered in finalizing the station designs.

Meetings & Conventions – Generating Business in Today's World

Earth Day for Event People
April 22 | 12PM EST | Virtual

Join your fellow event professionals for a celebration of the beauty and diversity of the destinations in Canada where we host our events. This free 90-minute session will highlight 10 popular event destinations in Canada and allows attendees to vote on who is doing the most to protect their environmental inheritance. Join us on April 22nd and show your support by voting for Vancouver!
Susan Graham and Lacy Hawley will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

 

Meeting Professionals International Northern California Chapter (MPINCC) Annual Conference & Expo
April 27-28 | Virtual

When it comes to education, ACE2.021 has engaged our industry’s top thought leaders to present topics that are inspirational and relevant to all audiences - suppliers and planners alike. Whether you’re looking for professional development tips as we journey into the new normal, seeking best practices for audience engagement, or preparing for a transition back to in-person meetings, ACE2.021 has options for you. Below is a sneak peek of the breakout session options:

  • Audience Engagement in a Pandemic World
  • Getting the Sustainability Genie Out of Your Plastic Bottle
  • Meeting Contracts in a Post-COVID World
  • Welcome Back: Top Meeting Destinations Chart Their Comeback
  • The Day CES Made the Digital Shift
  • Women in Event Tech: From Pivots to Innovation

Owen Chiu will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver

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