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.ASSOCIATION NEWS
Appointment Selections Open Next Week for 2021 Marketplace
OMCA
If you have been waiting for the ‘deadline to register’ for OMCA Marketplace, this is it. On September 30th, registered delegated will log into their MyOMCA event portal and submit requests for appointments with the buyers and sellers that they wish to meet with in November. If you haven’t registered by that time, then those delegates are choosing from a list without your name on it. The appointments are virtual this year, making them affordable and accessible for all members! Don’t wait another minute — go online and register for Marketplace before it is too late.
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Student Travel Recovery Committee Fights For The Restart Of Educational Travel
OMCA
Since the start of the pandemic, OMCA has continued to work hard in advocating for and supporting its tour and travel members. In December 2020, a Student Travel Recovery Committee was formed by 3 local educational tour operators who sit on OMCA’s Tour Operator Council: John Temple (Temple and Temple Tours Inc.), Debbie Yantzi (Perspectives) and Ted Goldenberg (Chapman Tours). Over the past 9 months, the Student Travel Recovery Committee has focused on collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Education. Their initiative is to work with boards of education on policies, awareness and strategies that will assist in the safe re-start of Ontario’s educational travel industry. They have made several presentations to different levels of government and will continue to advocate and educate people on the pandemic preparedness of our local industry to welcome student travelers. This committee represents all OMCA members who plan educational travel (motor coach companies, hotels, venues, restaurants, DMO’s and educational tour companies) and is committed to supporting our local tourism industry. Their work is ongoing and updates will be given as they move forward.
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Update from the OMCA President
OMCA
The association congratulates all elected candidates of all parties on their election campaigns and the Liberal party for forming Government. Throughout the election period, the association connected with all parties and wrote to each candidate to advocate for our industry and specifically for:
1. A tailored wage and fixed cost support program for hardest hit businesses
2. Introducing specific economic relief for motor coach transportation service providers
3. Investments in the redevelopment of a national coast to coast motor coach network
We were very pleased to see the liberal party announce the extension of the wage and rent subsidies early in their election campaign. As the government gets back to work it will be vital for many of our members that they announce the details of their election promise to provide hard hit tourism industry with temporary wage and rent support of up to 75% of their expenses. This will be a priority for our advocacy work moving forward. The association has fed into briefing and transition materials used to get new Ministers and staff up to speed on our priority issues. None of our advocacy work would be possible without your investment in membership with our association. Thank you.
A quick reminder that registration is open for our 2021 Marketplace. If you are not signed up, please do so today.
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.INDUSTRY NEWS
How long will Ontario's COVID-19 vaccine certificate program last?
CTV News
The scientific director of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table believes the province’s proof-of-vaccination system could be lifted in the spring of 2022, assuming individuals continue to follow public health measures, get the shot and there are no further mutations of the Delta variant.
Dr. Peter Jüni told CTV News Toronto’s Life Unmasked team that if things go well, he anticipates the certificates could be lifted by March or April.
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Plan an unforgettable trip to Brantford. Book Tourism Brantford’s complimentary Bus Welcome Program and receive a personalized step-on welcome and a gift bag that includes pre-packaged local treats for everyone on your bus, including the tour escort and driver.
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U.S. extends land border restrictions with Canada, Mexico through Oct. 21
USA Today
It's been more than a month since Canada reopened its land borders to travellers from the United States, but the U.S. has no plans to return the favor any time soon.
Border restrictions on nonessential travel have been extended again, this time through Oct. 21, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients said Monday. The restrictions were first implemented in March 2020 and have since been extended on a monthly basis.
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Ontario Ministry of Health provides clarity for medical exemptions to COVID-19 vaccination
Miller Thomson LLP
With employers keeping busy drafting and enforcing vaccination policies in the last few weeks, many questions have been raised about medical exemptions from the requirement to get the COVID-19 vaccine. While employers are aware that human rights legislation requires them to accommodate employees’ medical conditions which may exempt employees from vaccination, the medical conditions requiring exemptions have been far from clear, and have left both employers and physicians without much of a direction on handling the issue of exemptions.
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Saskatchewan is one big, beautiful place. You will find something that most people could use a bit more of – peace and quiet. Wherever you travel in Saskatchewan, nature is never far away. Even at the centre of Saskatchewan’s major cities, Regina and Saskatoon, you are only minutes away from impressive landscapes and wide-open spaces.
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Should Ottawa be making a bigger fuss about Canada-U.S. border restrictions?
North Delta Reporter
With the federal election in the books and the United States clearly in no hurry to reopen the Canada-U.S. border, experts say the federal Liberal government should think about rebooting the way it deals with the country’s largest and most important trading partner.
President Joe Biden’s administration struck a dramatic contrast Monday when it unveiled a significant retool of the rules governing international travel and COVID-19, while in the same breath punting a decision on its northern border for another 30 days.
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BLEAK PREDICTION: Indigenous tourism at risk
Travel Industry Today
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada is making a bleak prediction about its members’ ability to rapidly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The association says even with the very best travel conditions, Indigenous tourism operations are not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2028.
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Cruise lines cheer lifting of U.S. travel restrictions, but will Canadians be left out?
Travel Pulse
The U.S. decision to welcome vaccinated and tested international travellers in early November is good news for a cruise industry in the early stages of recovery after a long pandemic shutdown. But Canadians with mixed vaccinations may still have to wait to board a ship.
The new plan will end sweeping bans on most non-citizens from entering the U.S. from the EU, UK and other nations.
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