NWT Tourism Coronavirus Update #21 - Support a TIAC Recovery Plan Campaign to Save the Tourism Industry
Dear valued members,
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) has launched a broad, industry-developed, detailed recovery campaign that seeks sector-specific government support to ensure Canada has a tourism industry post-pandemic. Tourism Matters and Canada cannot afford to lose the tourism industry.
In the Northwest Territories, with the border closed to all but essential traffic, tourism has all but halted. As more borders within Canada open, even within specific travel "bubbles", the tourism industry in the Northwest Territories will continue to be disproportionately disadvantaged and the losses to tourism will continue to be overwhelming. We strongly encourage all of our members to support the TIAC recovery campaign.
While current federal support measures are welcomed and appreciated, they all have expiry dates that will not meet the unique situation of the sector long-term. “Without tourists or local visitors, the tourism industry has grinded to a complete halt and the industry’s more-than 200,000 businesses are facing a dire situation as we enter what should have been the start of Canada’s peak-tourism season,” said Charlotte Bell, president and CEO of TIAC. “While programs like the CEWS and the CERB have been helpful, long-term liquidity is key because most of our sector’s businesses are losing out on an entire year’s worth of revenue that is typically earned during the peak travel season between May and September. The recently announced $70 million for tourism in redirected funds to support domestic marketing initiatives and a number of regional destination marketing organizations is a step in
the right direction. Our recovery proposal launched today outlines the additional support needed for long-term recovery of the sector.”
All of TIAC’s recovery plan recommendations fall into five core themes, including;
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Championing Safety – ensuring coordinated regulatory efforts to develop a climate of public safety and help fund costs for new health and safety requirements.
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Sustaining Liquidity & Supporting Solvency – ensuring the sector is positioned to survive the next 2-24 months, at present, many businesses are at risk of closing.
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Enticing Canadians to Travel – positive messaging, when appropriate, reassuring people it is safe to travel
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Repositioning Canada’s Visitor Economy – to re-emerge a stronger and more cost competitive global tourism competitor
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Supercharging the Canadian Economy – fast tracking growth capital
The proposal also outlines recommended timeframes, including immediate and recovery needs in short, mid and long-term horizons.
Tourism is a globally competitive industry, and other countries around the world have been announcing stimulus packages and plans to reopen borders. The tourism industry in Canada is ready to engage in meaningful dialogue with the federal government on how we can collaborate on reopening the visitor economy. The time is now for us to engage in this important dialogue before we lose the entire summer and fall seasons as well as our industry.
The first and immediate need in the recovery document is a consultative approach with the tourism industry to create an integrated set of reopening guidelines and protocols with the provinces and territories to build confidence for workers and consumers. In the Northwest Territories, this need is critical.
Please read the full recovery document by clicking here.
The call to action in the campaign is for tourism industry members to send a letter to our Member of Parliament to support this initiative spearheaded by TIAC. To do this please click on tourismmatters.ca. You will see a tab at the top of the home page titled "Send Your Letter". This bring up a drop-down form, which makes it easy to send a letter of support.
Our tourism industry in the Northwest Territories will benefit from a coordinated approach for reopening guidelines and many other componenets such as financial relief measures in this campaign. Please do take the time to show your support. We can't afford to lose the tourism industry in Canada, and we can't afford to lose the tourism industry in the NWT.
Please don't hesitate to reach out directly to me. I can be reached at 867-873-5007, Extension 1005 or by email at executive@spectacularnwt.com.
Take care. Stay safe. Be kind.
Cathie Bolstad
Chief Executive Officer
Northwest Territories Tourism
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