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Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Bulletin:
COVID-19 (coronavirus)
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| We are reaching out to you today with the latest communication regarding COVID-19 from Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Region, managed under the direction of Destination BC. We know this is a very trying time for our tourism industry, and we understand that COVID-19 is top of mind for travellers and businesses globally. |
We are working hard to gather information with partners and official sources to provide industry with real-time updates, principally through our daily-, sometimes hourly-, updated webpage:
destinationbc.ca/news/coronavirus-update/ . Here you will find the current risk assessment in BC, the provincial and national response, links to reliable health resources, updates from industry partners, new developments as it relates to BC tourism, and advice on how you can support your guests and staff.
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| These are difficult times, with a lot of uncertainty around what our world will look like next month, next week, and even tomorrow. We want to assure you that we are in this together. Now more than ever, we will leverage our collective power to align and support us through the times ahead. We are advising tourism businesses to heed to up-to-date advice from officials, including health and transport, and to do your part in preventing widespread transmission of the virus. |
| In the meantime, Destination BC is doing everything we can in partnership with provincial and federal partners, industry partners, stakeholders, and Health Authorities to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on BC and its tourism sector, including the recovery efforts needed in the short- and long-term. For more information and to find a repository of resources to support your tourism business, go to destinationbc.ca/news/coronavirus-update/, and check back often for updates. |
| For the foreseeable future, we will be sending out these regular bulletins in place of our monthly Directions emails. Please encourage your network to subscribe to our newsletter, and feel free to forward these emails to your colleagues and friends. |
| In the sections below, you will find information on the latest measures being implemented at a national and provincial level to manage widespread transmission and protect Canadians, as well as opportunities for you to learn more about what we're doing. |
| Infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19 can be scary, and even though this may not be top of mind, it’s important to manage your own well-being and look after yourself too. |
| Vice President, Destination Management, Destination BC |
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Latest Federal and Provincial Measures
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This morning’s COVID-19 updates—first from the Prime Minister in Ottawa, then from our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and Health Minister, Adrian Dix in Victoria—brought to light further restrictions on travel and public gatherings. These measures are intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Canada and British Columbia:
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Canada is denying entry to travelers who are not Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents. Some exceptions apply.
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Air operators have been formally mandated to prevent any travelers with symptoms to board a plane at point of origin, meaning anyone who has symptoms will not be able to come to Canada.
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Canadians are to avoid all non-essential travel outside Canada, including to the US. Anyone who chooses to travel outside Canada must stay away from work or school for 14 days on their return. Read the Official Global Travel Advisory.
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Only four Canadian airports are accepting international flights – Vancouver International, Pearson International in Toronto, Calgary and Montreal.
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Gatherings or events larger than 50 people are not permitted in British Columbia until further notice. This includes indoor and outdoor sporting events, conferences, meetings, religious gatherings and other similar events.
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The need for everyone to practice social distancing.
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Tourism Emergency Management Committee
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| The Tourism Emergency Management Committee (TEMC), which includes the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, TIABC, Destination BC, BCDMO Association, Emergency Management BC, the RDMO Secretariat, and Indigenous Tourism BC, is working together with the goal of supporting tourism operators to make informed decisions on guiding visitors and guests, staff, and other stakeholders through this challenging time. |
| Many actions identified during committee meetings are in the process of being implemented and we are exploring ways to access resources or special dispensation to assist tourism operators in the immediate, short-, and long-term. |
| Members of the TEMC are in constant conversations with government officials to inform them of the present and potential impacts of COVID-19 on BC’s visitor economy, and call for tourism to be included as a priority in the recovery plans and actions. |
| Destination BC will be holding weekly calls each Thursday afternoon with cross-provincial industry partners. During these calls, we are sharing facts, trends, data from research and analytics, and updates from sectors. These calls are a great opportunity to hear more about what we know, including our plans to support industry. Please email [email protected] to be added to the call. |
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Destination BC's Meetings/Events Policy
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| Given the current circumstances of the global COVID-19 situation, Destination BC has made the decision to cancel or postpone all non-essential travel, events and business meetings. This decision aligns with the Provincial Health Officer’s advice regarding virus containment and social distancing. Our team will work with you to either continue the meeting by phone or online platforms, or rebook in-person events at a later time. We know this is a difficult time for our industry, and we are here to support you. |
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