Paul Nursey, President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria
I have written in previous columns about the precarious state of the Greater Victoria visitor economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our industry. The discouragement of travel by government and health officials, as well as closure of the Canada/US border as meant fewer visitors and travelers to our destination. The financial situation for many businesses is dire. Greater Victoria has amazing hotels, restaurants and attractions that need to remain solvent as we move into the shoulder and off-peak season, and into the 2021 high season.
On a positive note, the British Columbia visitor economy has shown tremendous cooperation and collaboration as we push provincial and federal governments for help. The result of this hard work was the Tourism Industry Association of BC’s submission to the provincial government on July 21, 2020. The proposal was for $680 million – immediate and vital assistance for the sector hardest hit by COVID-19 and travel restrictions.
The long-term economic outlook for the sector is the bleak. Best-case projections would still see a $14.8 billion (69 per cent) province-wide decline in tourism revenue from $20.4 billion in 2018 to $6.7 billion in 2020. This severe loss in revenue, which could be significantly greater, will have reverberating impacts on jobs, government revenues through taxes, and the ability to re-invest in the sector for a more resilient, sustainable future.
In Greater Victoria, our Tourism Rescue and Recovery Task Force has worked hard on concrete policy proposals to help local business operators. These proposals included extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, measures to prevent insolvency, and addressing shortfalls of the Regional Relief & Recovery Fund (RRRF) program.
Destination Greater Victoria is foursquare behind Tourism Industry Association of BC’s submission to the provincial government. I hear daily what tourism businesses are facing – the lack of customers, worries about revenue and the need for help from provincial and federal governments.
The COVID-19 health and safety policy response were necessary. But is has had negative economic effects as well. And tourism – with its need for movement of people and open borders – has borne the brunt of the economic downturn. Now is the time for the Province to act on the roadmap for rescue and recovery provided by Tourism Industry Association of BC.
Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria
