Today's update includes:

  • General Updates
  • Emergency Preparedness Week | New BC Tourism Emergency Management Framework
  • Vancouver Coast & Mountains | HR Toolkit
  • CMHA Mental Health Week | Share, Learn, Donate
  • Apply for Student Wage Subsidies
  • The 50 – 30 Challenge Surpasses 1,500 Signatories
  • Apply Today | Tourism Event Program
  • Discount on Canadian Immigration Summit 2022 | Workforce Support
  • AHLA Launches 'Hospitality is Working' Campaign with Focus on Reigniting Travel
  • Canadian Tourism Labour Market Snapshot March 2022
  • Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel | go2HR Toolkit
  • Reminder | Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) Apply by May 7
  • DBC Research & Insights | Recovery Reactions
  • Welcome to Bedford Regency! Old-world Charm & Understated Elegance
  • News - See more below!
  • Hot Off the Press
  • BC | Canada News
  • World News
  • Industry Trends
  • Tipping Our Hat to Industry!
  • People on the Move | Those Making Changes and Waves in our Industry
  • Destination Victoria Recognizes Industry Leaders at Annual Awards
  • Mark Your Calendars - see below!
  • Comment Card | Thoughts and Comments from Our Industry
  • Last Laugh | A Little Something to Make Our Members Smile
Emergency Preparedness Week | New BC Tourism Emergency Management Framework
Today, in conjunction with Emergency Preparedness Week, a collaborative Tourism Emergency Management Committee (TEMC) released a new BC Tourism Emergency Management Framework to help reduce the industry’s vulnerabilities and risks, and lessen the potentially adverse impacts to visitor experiences during emergencies.

The BC Tourism Emergency Management Framework provides a unified structure to support tourism partners and visitors on matters related to the four pillars of emergency management, namely mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

We commend TIABC and our industry partners for their work on this critical initiative.
Vancouver Coast & Mountains | HR Toolkit
To help Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) employers with HR best practices, go2HR, in collaboration with, Cindy Conti, CPHR, HR Consultant for the VCM region, has developed an HR toolkit of resources. The toolkit has downloadable and customizable resources that can help in the following areas of HR:

✔Recruitment (i.e. sample interview questions)
✔Onboarding (i.e. performance review templates)
✔On the Job
✔Departure 

The toolkit was developed to help support industry recovery in the VCM region as outlined in the Labour Market Tactical Action Plan. The Labour Market Tactical Action Plan and VCM HR Consultant is a partnership between Destination BC and go2HR.
CMHA Mental Health Week | Share, Learn, Donate
It's CMHA Mental Health Week.
Let's #GetReal about how to help.

Every May for the last 71 years, Canadians in communities, schools, workplaces and the House of Commons have rallied around CMHA Mental Health Week. For our industry, there are many ways we can help our colleagues and prove that we are committed to supporting one another. See the 2022 CMHA Toolkit to share resources with your team and start a conversation - it is the first step.
Apply for Student Wage Subsidies
Summer applications are underway for the Propel Student Work Placement Program.

Propel connects post-secondary students and tourism employers for paid work-integrated learning placements. Employers can access wage subsidies for each qualifying student they engage. A virtual info session with live Q&A takes place May 18 at 1:00 PM Eastern.
More than 1,500 organizations across Canada have pledged to increase the representation and inclusion of diverse groups within their workplace, aspiring to gender parity and significant representation of marginalized groups on boards and senior management positions.

The BCHA has been a proud supporter of the 50-30 Challenge since signing on in 2020. We are committed to remaining transparent about our progress and are on track to meet our goal at our November AGM! Learn more on our DEI Resource Page.
Apply Today | Tourism Event Program
After being paused in spring 2020 due to the pandemic, the Tourism Events Program is back and accepting applications until 1 p.m. PDT on May 31. The program will provide up to $5 million in funding to support eligible events between October 2022 and September 2023.
Discount on Canadian Immigration Summit 2022 | Workforce Support
Join the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Immigration Summit from May 24 to 26 for a virtual Canada-wide conversation to make our immigration system more innovative, resilient, and responsive to complex challenges and unique opportunities. Tourism HR Canada President and CEO Philip Mondor joins a panel discussion on addressing labour shortages through immigration. Use code SPKRF to save at registration. View the full program and register

Interested in learning more about international recruitment? Join the Hiring Foreign Workers Webinar Wednesday, May 11 at 10am with BCHA Workforce Strategist Alison Langford! RSVP by Monday, May 9 and register below.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) yesterday relaunched its Hospitality is Working campaign, seeking to reignite travel nationwide and showcase the economic and community benefits hotels provide in neighborhoods across the country.
Hospitality is Working showcases the broad range of benefits hotels provide the communities they serve while highlighting the industry’s strong commitment to investing in its workforce, providing quality career opportunities, and protecting employees and guests as more and more Americans begin to travel.

The campaign will include television and digital advertising as well as AHLA events around the country alongside local hoteliers, economic development organizations and community groups.
The latest report on the Canadian Tourism Labour Market has been released and reflects the status of employment in the sector for the month of March 2022.
 
Overall, tourism employment experienced an uptick as the sector builds momentum toward recovery in the coming months; however, growth is hindered by employment losses in the accommodations industry and a higher than anticipated unemployment rate in transportation.
 
When considering the robust tourism labour force pre-pandemic (2,117,700 workers in March 2019), it is clear that labour shortages remain across the country and throughout the tourism industries. Through other indicators such as the tourism unemployment rate which held strong in March, there is hope that momentum is building toward sector recovery.
Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel | go2HR Toolkit
In support of those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Government of Canada has created the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) to help Ukrainians and their family members come to Canada as quickly as possible and to provide them with the ability to work and study while in Canada. The CUAET also gives those who are already in Canada the option to extend their visitor status, work permit or study permit so that they can continue to live and work or study in Canada temporarily.

go2HR has created a toolkit on what tourism & hospitality employers need to know about offering employments to Ukrainians arriving in Canada. See below.
Reminder | Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) Apply by May 7
While the Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) expires on May 7, 2022, the government will accept retroactive applications.
 
Intended to support recovery for businesses to hire employees or increase work hours of existing employees, the CRHP is a separate wage subsidy that runs parallel to the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) wage and rent subsidies, which also expire on May 7.

We encourage operators to apply today!
DBC Research & Insights | Recovery Reactions
  • Destination BC’s latest Resident Perception report shows that 84% of BC residents agree that the tourism industry plays an important role in BC’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • READ MORE

  • Destination BC’s latest Research Roundup reports that all provinces have a net positive reaction to seeing their province promoted elsewhere in Canada. 
  • READ MORE
Welcome to Bedford Regency! Old-world Charm & Understated Elegance
This European-style boutique hotel captures the charm of yesteryear memories while providing guests with all the necessary modern conveniences. Nestled near the historic Bastion Square in downtown Victoria, everything from the location to the vibrant, flower-filled window boxes outside each of the property’s 40 non-smoking guest rooms ensures guests a delightful and unforgettable experience. Close to Victoria’s finest retail stores but a mere stone’s throw from the harbour front, The Bedford is your home-away-from-home in downtown Victoria.
 
The two on-site restaurants, Garrick’s Head Pub and The Churchill, offer traditional English pub fare in a bright and relaxing atmosphere and serve over 115 of craft and import beers on tap—perfect for those hot summer afternoons or colder winter nights. Delight your senses and explore Victoria, as the team welcomes you to The Bedford Regency Hotel. bedfordregency.com
Industry News & Quick Links
HOT OFF THE PRESS

BC & CANADA

WORLD NEWS

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Tipping Our Hat to Industry
People on the Move | Those Making Changes and Waves in our Industry

With summer just around the corner, our industry is hiring on all levels. Here are some people starting the next chapter of their career in hospitality!


Do you have someone on your team making moves or waves? Let us know! Reach out to communications@bcha.com.
Destination Victoria Recognizes Industry Leaders at Annual Awards
 
Tourism industry veteran Randy Wright, president of Harbour Air, has been given Destination Greater Victoria’s highest honour, its Life Member Award, during the organization’s annual general meeting last week.
 
The award goes to an individual or organization that has demonstrated leadership within the tourism industry.
 
Destination Greater Victoria gave its Miracle Award to Brenda Ollis. As the general manager of the Chateau Victoria Hotel, Ollis was recognized for her exceptional leadership and achievement in developing and supporting the industry.
 
Congratulations to both Randy and Brenda on this significant honour!
Mark Your Calendars
Register for BCRTS Tourism Impact Portal Virtual Information Session
Registration closes May 13.
Vancouver International Wine Festival: Trade Days 
May 19 & 20, 2022
Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Pl, Vancouver
Register Here
Wednesday, June 8 | 8:30 AM  4:30 PM
Partner: Tourism Industry Association of BC Special Offer – Save $100 with promo code TIABC40.
How to Integrate Research Into Your Marketing Plan workshop
Thursday, May 12 at 12:30pm
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade DEI Sessions
Sessions Include:
May 5: Gender in the Workplace
May 12: LGBTQ2+ Inclusion
May 19: Indigenous Inclusion
May 26: Including Persons with Disabilities
June 2: Race and Ethnicity in Canada
 
Click here to learn more and to register.
Comment Card | Click on Image for More
DVBIA Marks Major Milestone
Victoria Conference Centre is Back!
Just Go For It
Teams and the Foundation of Trust
Last Laugh