B.C.’s tourism sector calling for border tests to be dropped by April 1
Posted March 2, 2022 7:47 pm.
Last Updated March 3, 2022 1:27 pm.
B.C. tourism businesses are making an urgent plea to the feds to remove all arrival requirements for fully vaccinated visitors coming to Canada by April 1 — before another summer of business from international travellers is lost.
Keith Henry, CEO of Indigenous Tourism Canada, says if B.C.’s tourism sector is going to make a comeback, it’s going to take a change at the border.
“We know now that the pre-departure testing keeps visitors away. We’ve seen it. Although the U.S. market has opened up slightly, we just have not seen to return to any substantial visitation from that particular market which is one of the key countries that’s opened up.” The U.S. also requires an antigen test from people flying in.
Henry and his colleagues say the changes last week moving to an antigen test instead of a PCR test did not go far enough. While the cost is lower, it’s still an added expense that could deter travel.
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And it’s not just the families coming from for summer vacation, says Bridgitte Anderson with the Vancouver Board of Trade. It’s also people planning conferences in Vancouver – big business for the region – who will choose other destinations.
“When we look at business travel, we have jurisdictions around the world that are making those decisions right now about where they’re going to hold those conferences. And when they look at Canada and they look at the obstacles in place, they will decide to go to other jurisdictions, which means we’ll lose out for 2022 and beyond. So these are it’s imperative that action is taken now. Not only for the urgent session of the tourism season right now but also for longer-term,” Anderson said.
The industry also wants the feds to remove the warning against cruise ship travel for Canadians – saying this is making customers nervous as the ships are set to dock in Vancouver this season.
