COVID-19 UPDATE & GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

• Last Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Joly announced that the Regional Relief Recovery Fund ($465M) and Community Futures Fund ($144M) will receive more funding across five economic Development Agencies.
  • For more information and how to apply through the Western Economic Development Agency visit: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/h_07682.html

• Certain extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be eligible to travel to and enter Canada as of October 8.

B.C. ELECTION TOOLKIT – REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL MLAs

The Tourism Industry Association of BC, BC Hotel Association, Restaurants Canada, and Alliance of Beverage Licensees BC have partnered to create an Election Toolkit. Ahead of the election on October 24th, we encourage you to use the toolkit to reach out to your local MLA whether that be through a letter or requesting a meeting, to inform and educate candidates on the unique challenges and needs of our sector. It is important that our sector’s voice is heard by those running for office, and that each party is prepared to address the issues and opportunities to help tourism and hospitality rebound in the months and years ahead.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Deloitte Economic Outlook

Audit, consulting, financial advisory and risk management firm Deloitte Canada recently released their latest economic outlook publication which includes highlights of the global economic recovery, the outlook for the US and Canadian economies plus provincial forecasts, industry trends and financial projections.  Deloitte is a part of the Metro Vancouver Recovery Working Group of the Metro Vancouver Tourism & Hospitality Response and Recovery Task Force.

City of Vancouver Message to Special Event Organizers

Given the Provincial Health Order banning mass gathering events has been extended indefinitely, the City of Vancouver and Park Board Special Event Offices will be unable to proceed with permitting of any event(s) with more than 50 people per session until this order has been revised or lifted by the Provincial Health Order.   That said, the Special Events Office team would like Special Event Organizers to complete a short survey to determine how they can support you to the greatest extent possible.  If you are a Special Event Organizer, please take a few moments to complete their survey by end of day Wednesday, October 15th.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS

Reminder: Share Your Winter Product Inventory

We are actively collecting information about the available Vancouver Winter Product Inventory to be able to effectively market the destination to potential visitors.  For the purposes of this program, Winter is described as the period between November 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. Please complete the following form to update us on your winter operation status.

TOURISM VANCOUVER WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

Tourism Vancouver's 117th Annual General Meeting

Save the Date!  Tourism Vancouver's Board of Directors invites you to join them for our 117th Annual General Meeting on October 29th.  This hybrid limited-live/virtual event will be hosted at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.  Invitations to Voting Member contacts as well as our general membership audience will be sent out soon, so watch for them.  Note that due to the current Provincial Health Order banning mass gatherings of more than 50 people, invites are non-transferable and only Voting Member contacts will be eligible to attend in person.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Meetings & Conventions – A Fresh Perspective on Engagement

MPI Golden State Collaborative 
October 8, 2020 | Virtual
Is California ready to re-emerge from the impact of COVID-19? Hear from the leading executives of some of the largest Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) during this keynote session, as they share with us what each of them are doing to lead and to innovate in this time of uncertainty as their destinations begin to re-open. Don Welsh, President and CEO of Destinations International, will moderate this thoughtful and insightful conversation on what destinations must do to open safely to accommodate the return of meetings and events and how they are preparing for reopening.
Owen Chiu will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

PlanetIMEX, October edition
October 12-16, 2020 | Virtual
Virtual learning and networking experience from the IMEX Group.  Dive into a world of wonder, community, and connections. 
BestCities will be leading the session ‘Around the World in 80 Minutes.  Michelle Taylor will be presenting on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

MPI Chicago - Trivia Night
October 27, 2020, 6:30PM - 8:30PM CDT | Virtual
Join us for the MPI CAC Virtual Trivia Night: Halloween Edition via Zoom. We will be hosting this event with multiple rounds of trivia, a breakout of participants into various teams, with fun themed rounds, entertainment and silent auction! Costumes are highly encouraged, and we will be crowning a winner at the end of the night! 
Lacy Hawley will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.  

SITE Canada – Education Day
October 28, 2020, 11:00AM - 5:00PM EDT | Virtual
Education Day: The Comeback Journey, promises to be an engaging and instructive gathering of your peers. Education Day will expand our thinking, prowess, and ingenuity with an agenda chock full of ace keynote speakers serving up fresh takes on relevant topics; Dialogue Dens offering small group connections; guided wellness activity, ‘snackable’ insights to ponder; and inspiring stories from those out there bringing the moxie in a time where fearlessness wins the day.
Tourism Vancouver is a title sponsor in partnership with the VHDA. Michael Drake will be attending on behalf of Tourism Vancouver.

MPI Ottawa - Prix Prestige Awards Gala 2020
October 29, 2020, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM EDT | Virtual
The MPI Ottawa Prix Prestige Awards are designed to recognize excellence in active chapter members for their commitment, service and involvement in the chapter or industry and community at large.  MPI Ottawa’s Prix Prestige Awards reflect the best of the best in the meetings industry and are awarded each year under the following categories: Planner of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Mentor of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Student of the Year, and Rising Star. There are also two special categories bestowed at the discretion of the President: Honourary Member, and the President’s Award.
Michelle Taylor, Tourism Vancouver, will be presenting the Planner of the Year award.