Tourism Advocacy Update – July 28-29, 2020 - Association de l'industrie touristique du Canada

COVID-19 Updates > Tourism Advocacy Update – July 28-29, 2020

Tourism Advocacy Update – July 28-29, 2020

Publié le 29 juillet 2020

July 28-29, 2020

Dear Tourism Stakeholders,

The TIAC Team is pleased to provide you with this update on the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, including the steps government is taking to address the situation. We are working hard to make sure the industry’s voice is heard by government, and that you have the information you need to keep your business going in these uncertain times.

Please find the latest updates on official announcements and a recap of TIAC’s advocacy work on behalf of Canada’s Visitor Economy:

TIAC’s Advocacy Update

Yesterday, the steering committee of Canada’s Tourism Roundtable, including TIAC, held discussions with Minister Melanie Joly (Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, representing Tourism) to discuss the state of the industry and advocate for future support for the tourism sector.
The Tourism Roundtable also met with Minister Lisa MacLeod (Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries) to hear about Ontario’s support for tourism sector businesses in Ontario.

Government Announcements

Yesterday, Minister Joly held a press conference addressing $95 million in support which had been released through Western Diversification RRRF funding, supporting businesses unable to get access to other federal relief measures.

In Case You Missed It …

TIAC would like to thank all industry stakeholders who participated in our recent government programs survey. We are in the process of preparing a summary of our findings in the next few days. In the meantime, if you have not already done so, please take a moment to send a letter to your MP encouraging them to prioritize tourism in all future funding programs. www.tourismcounts.ca

Resources for Businesses

The Manitoba Tourism Education Council (MTEC) is offering their “Clean It Right” program certification free to tourism, hospitality, and retail industry businesses in Manitoba until June 1, 2021 – click here for more details.
- The certification is also available to operators in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador – please check with your provincial tourism association for costs and other information.
Our partners at Destination Canada are creating free online educational videos for tourism businesses – “Marketing Tips and Tricks” to increase their digital marketing presence. The first video in the series is available now.
TIAC member Tempest has created a free content platform called Rediscover Canada for destination professionals to share travel storiesand ‘hidden gems’ in their communities. You can check out and contribute to the initiative here.
The UNWTO has an online dashboard of international statistics on the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector.
MPI has created a coronavirus resource page that pulls together meetings and events information and also links to several other resources helpful to the Business Events segment in our sector.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a series of Global Safety Protocols for reopening with the ‘new normal’ in mind.
Go2HR has compiled a comprehensive list of resources for all types of sector businesses related to COVID-19.
For operators looking for information on how to prepare to safely reopen their operations, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has a series of bilingual guidelines available to businesses regarding COVID-19.
Google for SMEs has also launched a page dedicated to supporting businesses during COVID-19 including practical steps and free digital skills training.
Our partners at Tourism HR Canada have opened their Emerit coursesand created a resource hub for sector businesses.

Looking Ahead – COVID-19 Recovery

Several provinces have begun announcing plans for reopening economies. Timelines and actions vary, but can provide businesses and workers with information on what to expect in the upcoming weeks and months. TIAC is following up on measures announced by British Columbia to limit gatherings of more than 50 people and seeking a coordinated approach between provinces in the recovery phase. We have reached out to our provincial counterparts to work together in an effort to create an orderly recovery strategy that will address health concerns and support tourism businesses. TIAC will continue to add links to provincial recovery plans as they become available: