File image of the Canada-U.S. border (Canadian Press)

By Justin Goulet

Tourism Industry Association calls for safe border reopening

Jun 10, 2021 | 7:40 AM

OTTAWA, ON – The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) wants the Canada-U.S. border to be reopened.

Earlier this week, the TIAC launched its campaign to call on the federal government to reopen the border, which has been closed for close to 15 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TIAC’s plan can be viewed online at openuscanborder.ca.

READ MORE: PM hints at easing border restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers, eventually

President and CEO Beth Potter said, “as restrictions lift and as more vaccines are in arms of Canadians and in arms of people around the world, we think it’s time to start talking about a plan to reopen the border.”

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“The reason that we ask for a plan is because it’s going to take some time for these businesses who have been shuttered for 15 months to ramp up operations and bring back their staff.”

BORDER SAFETY

Potter told Lethbridge News Now that “about a week and a half ago, the Expert Advisory Panel on testing and screening released its report and it has recommendations within the report that spoke to how we can start to allow travellers to go back-and-forth across our border again.”

“They addressed things like fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated people as well as travellers who have not been vaccinated.”

More on the Expert Advisory Panel is available here.

IMPACT ON TOURISM

Potter noted that unsurprisingly, the pandemic has had a major effect on the tourism industry at large. She said before COVID-19 hit, so back in 2019, the tourism industry in Canada was a $105 billion a year industry.

“That industry also employed 1.8 million Canadians.”

She explained that throughout the course of the pandemic, the sector has lost “at least 50 per cent of that revenue” but in many cases, the impact is even more far-reaching.

TIAC President and CEO Beth Potter (Photo supplied by the TIAC)

Potter explained that, “we’ve had businesses who haven’t been open since the start of the pandemic, since March 2020. When you think about live music venues and festivals and events, some attractions [like] water parks and museums, they have not been open at all, so those businesses have been impacted 100 per cent.”

“As we look forward and look at other businesses, you know, in the resort community, in the outdoor recreation community – they have been able to be open partially and at rudest capacities. That’s why it hasn’t been a full loss, but it’s really been a tough slog. Not to mention the fact that we displaced more than 500,000 people from their jobs because the businesses haven’t been open.”

FUTURE OUTLOOK

Potter said the TIAC wants the Canadian tourism industry to regain its place in the global landscape of tourism “as a destination of choice for all international travellers.”

“[We] would like, obviously, our neighbours to the south, [they] are, you know, some of our biggest visitors and biggest fans of our country, so we’d like to be able to open the doors and welcome them back with open arms.”

She added that it’s important to note that “every single tourism business”, whether it be a restaurant, an attraction or experience, has put health protocols in place “that line up with their local public health authorities’ recommendations, if not better than local health authorities because we’ve, as an industry, we’ve been working to global standards as well.”

“We are putting the health of our guests and our employees at the forefront.”

Looking at the industry going forward, Potter is encouraging all Canadians who are eligible to roll up their sleeve and get vaccinated.

“This is the way that we bring this pandemic to a close.”