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Destination BC Directions: August 12, 2021
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The tranquil shores of Haida Gwaii (Destination BC/Owen Perry).
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The guide also features suggested content themes, a “Know Before You Go” section, and links to additional information.
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Industry Messaging Guidance for US Visitors – UPDATE
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As of August 9, fully vaccinated US citizens and permanent residents can enter Canada for leisure travel. Destination BC has created an “Industry Messaging Guidance for US Visitors” document that contains key messaging, information on entry requirements – including the need for a negative molecular test – and a comprehensive FAQ.
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Partners in Tourism: Industry Engagement and the Invest in Iconics Strategy
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Indigenous, resident and industry engagement is critical to the success of the Invest in Iconics Strategy. Since we began engagement in January 2020, the Iconics team has connected with over 1,000 industry professionals and BC residents across 47 workshops, 168 interviews, and over 140 meetings and presentations. These sessions have inspired provocative questions and cultivated a sense of excitement and optimism about the long-term opportunities the strategy provides for tourism in British Columbia. We are really encouraged by the positive feedback we have received from both industry and residents across the province with comments such as “I’m super excited about the strategy; it has great long-term potential, and is a natural fit for BC.”
Indigenous Tourism BC and Destination BC have had a close working relationship for over 20 years. We recognized early in this strategy that Indigenous culture and tourism experiences play a fundamental role in its success. And, it’s important to note that Indigenous history, culture and experiences will be a key part of each of the potential Iconics. We’re working closely with ITBC to plan engagement with their stakeholders and partners in fall of 2021.
If you missed the opportunity to provide your thoughts on the strategy during our engagement process, please reach out to Jacqueline Simpson, Iconics Project Lead, directly.
To learn more about the Invest in Iconics Strategy, please visit DestinationBC.ca/Iconics or contact us at [email protected].
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CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
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The Golden Triangle encourages visitors to explore the “other side of the Rockies” (Destination BC/Ryan Creary).
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The Golden Triangle Offers an Alternative Perspective of the Canadian Rockies
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The Golden Triangle – involving a partnership between Tourism Golden, Parks Canada, and Tourism Radium Hot Springs – works to elevate awareness of this existing touring route and drive visitation to its experiences and destinations, establishing the Golden Triangle as a “must-do” item on a Rockies vacation. The unique touring experience incorporates Yoho and Kootenay national parks, the village and hot springs of Radium Hot Springs, the Columbia River and wetlands, and the Town of Golden. The journey along highways 1, 95 and 93 offers a myriad of experiences backdropped by stunning mountain scenery, ranging from historic national parks, heritage sites and trails, to adventure activities in the sky, land and rivers – all cornered by authentic mountain town culture.
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The Digital Marketing Bootcamp, valued at $6,000 per seat, is offered to small- and medium-sized businesses at no cost (Destination Vancouver/Hubert Kang).
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Digital Marketing Bootcamp Expanded Due to Surge in Participation
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The provincial government is helping small- and medium-sized businesses adapt to the post-pandemic economy through the virtual Digital Marketing Bootcamp, which offers digital marketing skills training. The program teaches businesses how to expand their online competency so they can connect with consumers in markets across BC and beyond. Given the program’s success, the government is providing an additional $2.5 million, adding 3,400 seats – 30 percent of which are reserved for BIPOC and rural businesses.
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Have Your Say on BC's Permanent Paid Sick Leave
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British Columbians are asked to provide input on the development of made-in-BC permanent paid sick leave to support workers and protect workplaces. Along with outreach to key stakeholders and Indigenous partners, a two-phased public consultation process is now open to employers and workers.
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Paid sick leave will come into effect on January 1, 2022.
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The Skills Training for Economic Recovery Stream is open for applications (Destination BC/Hubert Kang).
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Skills Training for Economic Recovery Stream Accepting Applications
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The Skills Training for Economic Recovery Stream provides short-term skills training to workers impacted by the global pandemic, so they can gain knowledge, skills and competencies to re-enter the labour market and find current or emerging jobs. Priority is given to participants who are low-skilled, youth, women, recent immigrants, people of colour, and people with an employment history in an industry impacted by the pandemic.
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Fast, Reliable Internet Coming to Denman and Hornby Islands
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Faster, more reliable internet is coming to Denman and Hornby islands, as part of the provincial government's Connecting British Columbia program. Telecommunications company CityWest will receive up to $3.26 million to upgrade services on Denman Island, and up to $2.8 million to support advancements on Hornby Island. The investment supports BC’s journey towards a future where rural communities have the same level of internet service as major urban centres.
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More than 1,350 households will begin to see improvements through these projects.
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The CCCW initiative currently has nine projects and a total investment of nearly $18 million (Northern BC Tourism/Mike Seehagel).
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Three New Projects will Remove Marine Debris from 1,000 Kilometres of BC Shoreline
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Three new projects, in partnership with coastal Indigenous Nations, are targeting marine debris along BC’s shoreline, including remote areas in Haida Gwaii and the Discovery Islands. With $3.6 million in support from the Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative Fund (CCCW), the projects aim to clean 1,000 kilometres of shoreline and create 240 jobs. CCCW has removed more than 550 tonnes of debris from BC’s beaches to date.
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Federal Government Introduces New Regional Development Agency for BC
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The new Pacific Economic Development Canada was created to better serve BC's innovators, businesses and communities, and promote investments and connections that facilitate economic growth.
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Pacific Economic Development Canada has funding of $553.1 million over five years.
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Regional air transportation plays a crucial role in achieving a just, inclusive recovery for everyone.
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Eleven Regional Airports in BC Granted $11.7 Million in Funding
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Eleven regional airports in BC will receive up to $11.7 million in funding to support post-pandemic recovery, maintain regional connectivity and create jobs. Regional air transportation plays a crucial role in bridging rural and remote communities with urban centres, maintaining supply chains and enhancing economic growth.
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New EV Chargers Coming to BC
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The federal government is investing over $800,000 to install 170 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across BC, helping pave the way towards a net-zero future. The funding supports Canada’s new mandatory target of 100 percent zero-emission light-duty vehicle sales by 2035.
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All chargers will be available for public use between now and this winter (Unsplash/Chuttersnap).
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The project will employ the local labour force and Indigenous companies, with a requirement to form partnerships with local First Nations (Destination BC/Andrew Strain).
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Federal Government Awards Contract to Improve the Alaska Highway to BC Company
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Penticton’s Peter’s Bros. Construction has earned a contract worth $39.6 million to upgrade road surfaces along the Alaska Highway, near Fort Nelson. The contract requires a number of infrastructure improvements, including stronger pavement that will make the highway safer and reduce maintenance costs. The work is scheduled to be completed in fall 2021.
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Federal Government Grants New Funding to YVR
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Vancouver International Airport has received up to $38.4 million in funding to support post-pandemic recovery and implement transportation infrastructure projects. The funding is part of the Airport Critical Infrastructure Program, which will distribute $489.6 million over five years to airports for eligible projects related to safety, security or connectivity to mass transit.
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YVR plays an essential role as a gateway to British Columbia (Tourism Richmond).
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Approximately 45,000 Canadians are employed in the fishing sector (Destination BC/ @dolfvermeulen).
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New Investments to Fishing Harbours on the Sunshine Coast
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The Sunshine Coast is welcoming a federal investment in its fishing harbours intended to benefit the local economy and community. In addition to a $1 million project to the harbour at Gibsons, which will be completed this year, energy efficient improvements will be made to the wharf at Madeira Park, and the boat grid in Whiskey Slough will be remediated to improve marine environment quality.
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BC Residents' Public Perceptions: COVID-19 Travel and Tourism Wave 31 Report
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Destination BC is monitoring British Columbians’ current views on travel, and tracking travel and tourism behaviour intentions to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.
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This report is released approximately every two weeks to track opinions and intentions, and watch how results trend over time.
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This report summarize the various research findings from Destination BC, suppliers, other tourism agencies and associations.
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COVID-19 Research Roundup: Week 53
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Our Research Roundup report is updated weekly with relevant research and articles related to the travel and tourism industry and COVID-19.
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Our Learning Centre provides access to resources and tools, best practices, workshops, and training programs for BC’s tourism industry.
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The Benefits of Investing in Accessibility
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It’s estimated there are more than 1.3 billion people with disabilities globally, many of whom travel for work, leisure, and to visit friends and family. In this week’s Learning Centre spotlight, we explore this growing travel market and provide tips to help your business become more inclusive.
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Three case studies exemplify the benefits of investing in accessibility (Destination BC/Kari Medig).
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ITBC’s Brenda Baptiste Awarded Order of BC
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Brenda Baptiste, board chair of Indigenous Tourism BC, is one of 16 British Columbians awarded the Order of British Columbia. The province's highest order of recognition is granted to community leaders who have made notable contributions in the province. Congratulations to Brenda and the other leaders who were honoured!
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Brenda is also the driving force behind the Osoyoos Indian Band’s Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre.
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Skytrax is a global benchmark of airport excellence, with more than 21.6 million passengers having their say.
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YVR Earns Top Honours at 2021 Skytrax World Airport Awards
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Vancouver International Airport (YVR) was voted best airport in North America for the 12th consecutive year, and earned the first COVID-19 Airport Excellence Award, at the prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards.
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Upcoming Webinars from Small Business BC
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Small Business BC provides practical business webinars and online education to develop business skills and strategy.
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Destination BC has partnered with Small Business BC to offer free access for tourism business stakeholders across the province to online education supporting COVID-19 recovery. Upcoming webinars include 'E-commerce For Your Business Series' (August 17 and 24) and 'Creating a Website for Your Business' (August 24). To access the webinars free of charge, register online using coupon code DBC3034.
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Workplace Accessibility Grant Helps Small Businesses Build an Inclusive Work Environment
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The Workplace Accessibility Grant, distributed by Small Business BC and funded by the federal and provincial governments, provides direct financial assistance to small business employers, so they can build more inclusive work environments for people with disabilities. The grant can be used to create more accessible environments (including ramps, accessible washrooms and lighting levels); anti-bias training; information and communication (such as ASL versions of policies, application forms accessible to screen readers and Braille versions of documents) and other services.
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The grants are being administered now through April 2022 (Destination BC/6ix Sigma).
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Reservations are highly recommended for Camping Appreciation Weekend (Destination BC/Kari Medig).
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Mark Your Calendars for Camping Appreciation Weekend
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During Camping Appreciation Weekend (September 10-12), coordinated by the Canadian Camping and RV Council, Canadian campgrounds encourage locals and residents to explore the country’s lush landscapes. As an added incentive, campers can book a full weekend stay and receive a discount of 50 percent for the third night. Plus, half the third night’s revenue will be donated to Care Camps, which enables kids with cancer to attend camp and find hope and healing in the outdoors.
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The New Propel Program Offers Student Learning Opportunities in Tourism
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Tourism HR Canada has launched the Propel Program, a student work placement program that offers paid work learning opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector. Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada, the program offers employers a wage subsidy of up to 75 percent of a qualifying student’s wages, to a maximum of $7,500.
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The program is available to registered Canadian businesses or not-for profits in the tourism and hospitality sector.
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Destination BC COVID-19 Communications
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Here's how to stay connected on the latest from Destination BC:
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If you have questions that can't be answered through the various resources on our website and official channels, please send them to [email protected] and we will work to address them.
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