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.ASSOCIATION NEWS
Marketplace sponsorships opportunities still available
OMCA
The travel and tourism industry is finally seeing big changes necessary for recovery, and members are eager to plan their come back tours for 2022 and 2023 at this year’s OMCA Marketplace! The appointments are being held virtually which allows more members to attend without being restricted by their marketing or travel budget, and we will also be hosting in-person education sessions for one day only. Whether virtual or in-person, sponsorship is a great way to get in front of the group travel operators and let them know you’re excited to work together in the new norm! Visit our website or contact mardi@omca.com for details on which sponsorships are still available. Thank you to our loyal sponsors who have already snagged their moment in the spotlight.
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Important information of the OMCA Marketplace
OMCA
Whether you have registered for the marketplace already or are still deciding if you will (what are you waiting for?!), there is useful and important information about what to expect from the event on our website. Check out the detailed virtual schedule, the must-know-info for virtual appointments, and important upcoming dates all on the OMCA website. This marketplace is an essential tool for tour operators as they build their first full year of tours since the onset of the pandemic — make sure you are there to be part of the reconnection and rebuilding of the group travel market!
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What is your favourite place to visit in Central Canada?
OMCA
Tell us about your favourite little-known destination or activity in Central Canada and OMCA may feature it a Hidden Gems compilation article of the Fall 2021 Road Explorer magazine. Take a few minutes to send us your short story of a hidden gem in Ontario and Quebec, whether it's an area that you live in, work in, or simply loved visiting. Let’s get back to sharing our love of travel through story-telling, and get the world excited about travelling again!
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Labour Market Update with Tourism HR webinar: Recording available online
OMCA
Calum MacDonald of Tourism HR provided a very detailed and insightful look at the state of the travel and tourism industry’s labour force. Even before the pandemic, the tourism sector faced labour shortages. While COVID introduced new challenges, it also amplified labour challenges that existed long before the pandemic. This webinar looked at the industry’s short, medium, and long-term staffing challenges, and Tourism HR Canada’s efforts to ensure Canada has a world-leading tourism workforce. Don’t worry if you missed yesterday’s webinar — members can view the recording online, anytime, through the Member Portal!
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Update from the OMCA President
OMCA
Thank you to all members that have already sent a letter to your MP and are participating in our grassroots summer advocacy campaign. With a federal election on the horizon, it will be vital that members connect with candidates either personally or via social media, so that they hear from business owners and operators in their ridings during this period. Aligning our messaging by using the association’s templates, key messages, and social media shareables will help ensure that, as an industry, we are united and clear on what support is needed for our members. If you haven’t done so, please send your letter today. Many members will benefit from borders opening this week to vaccinated Americans, however we know that without a receptacle opening and with ongoing business restrictions, our industry is not out of the woods. The association’s advocacy continues to be laser focused on business liquidity and recovery supports. Finally, please know that the association will continue to fight for our members through recovery and beyond. We are in regular conversations with Minister’s offices and public servants and will continue to advocate for your businesses.
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.INDUSTRY NEWS
Here they come: Border reopenings
Travel Industry Today
Fully vaccinated US citizens are wasting little time as they seize the opportunity to venture into Canada for the first time in 17 months. John Adams, a Florida resident who has been waging a relentless advertising campaign against travel restrictions at the Canada-US border, says he’s already on his way.
Adams, who owns property on Vancouver Island, says he has already heard from others who crossed the border by land shortly after midnight eastern time.
He says all of them have so far found the process to be smooth and “hassle-free.”
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Quebec to ban the unvaccinated from bars, gyms, restaurants, and public events
VICE
Quebec is planning to bar unvaccinated people from “non-essential spaces” like bars, restaurants, and gyms to limit the spread of COVID-19, the strictest measures taken against the unvaccinated in Canada.
Starting September 1, the “vaccine passport” will be used to try and limit the spread of the Delta variant in the province as a fourth wave of COVID-19 is “inevitable,” said Quebec Minister of Health and Social Service Christian Dubé at a Tuesday press conference.
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Windsor Road Trip Rewards campaign hopes to boost hotel revenues
CTV News
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island has launched a visitor incentive campaign to help ‘kickstart sluggish hotel revenues’ in the area.
‘Windsor Road Trip Rewards’ incentivizes visitors who book a minimum two-night stay in Windsor and the surrounding municipalities with a $50 VISA card and a $25 Windsor Pizza Club voucher.
“The Windsor Road Trip Rewards program will give our valued hotels a shot in the arm by providing unique incentives that resonate with travelers.
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Americans return to Canada across Sault Ste. Marie border
CTV News
Fully vaccinated American travellers packed border crossings across the country on Monday as Canada eased up on its travel restrictions for the United States.
In Sault Ste. Marie, ON, tourism operators are rejoicing, as their American clients return for the first time in 16 months.
"We're just excited to see some live bodies coming through the doors," Ralph Caria, the owner of the city's duty-free store, said.
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What will become of business travel?
Travel Industry Today
Of the two million people clogging airport security lines and gate areas again each day south of the border alone, one crowd is still largely missing: business travellers. Their absence is noteworthy because they are a key source of revenue and profit, underpinning a record-breaking stretch of financial gain for airlines that ended with the coronavirus.
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A look at COVID-19 reopening plans across the country
Times Colonist
As COVID-19 vaccination rates increase and case numbers drop across the country, the provinces and territories have begun releasing the reopening plans for businesses, events and recreational facilities.
Most of the plans are based on each jurisdiction reaching vaccination targets at certain dates, while also keeping the number of cases and hospitalizations down.
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