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Oct. 2, 2020

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Appointment Selection starts Monday

OMCA

OMCA’s Virtual Marketplace is happening November 9th & 10th and hosts 2 days of one-on-one appointments between Tour Operators and tourism suppliers. On Monday, October 5th, delegates will start making requests for appointments amongst all who have registered. If you haven’t already registered, now is the absolute last chance to get your name on the list before appointment requests commence.

30 Buyers at the Virtual Marketplace!

OMCA

This year’s Marketplace will be like none we have seen before, but OMCA is happy to announce that there are 30 appointment-taking buyers ready to sit down and talk business. In an upside-down world, this is your chance to meet and discuss how COVID has changed your business, what steps you’re taking to boost consumer confidence, and how you will be able to accept groups as travel and tourism resume operations in the new world. If you haven’t registered already, what are you waiting for?

New Webinar October 15th: Coach Operator and Tour Operator Townhall

OMCA

This is an opportunity for OMCA Coach Operator and Tour Operator members to come together and discuss the current state of the group tour industry.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Promoted by The Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited

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Discover Manitoulin Island - Preserved Aboriginal traditions as well as the beauty of its wilderness.

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Chi-Cheemaun’s Annual Spring Cruise Tobermory to Owen Sound May 2, 2019 – Call 1-800-265-3163

OMCA Members Pivot In Face of Challenge

OMCA

Hats off to member Angie Ricci of Angel Tours for pivoting gracefully in challenging times. Angie shared her innovative ideas with MPP Vijay Thanigasalam, PA to the Ministry of Transportation, and Andrea Khanjin, Member of Provincial Parliament for Barrie - Innisfil, on how the coaching and trucking industry has great potential for helping with COVID-19 relief. Her proposal provides employment opportunities while assisting with COVID testing. This is the kind of innovation OMCA is proud to see from its members. Keep them coming, OMCA members!

INDUSTRY NEWS

To recovery & beyond: The future of travel & tourism in the wake of COVID-19

World Travel & Tourism Council

The world has and continues to suffer sizeable losses and setbacks due to COVID-19. Not least among those setbacks is the shock to the Travel & Tourism sector. As 90% of the global population adjusted to life under travel restrictions and others stayed home in fear of the virus itself, the sector came to a near-total standstill. Yet, Travel & Tourism leaders have remained strong and steadfast in the face of adversity.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Enjoy Accommodation at the University of Ottawa

The University opens its residences to tour groups, conference guests, sports teams, and vacationers visiting the region. Conveniently located downtown and within walking distance of major attractions, the residences allow you to enjoy your stay in Canada’s capital with ease. Plan your stay at uOttawa now!

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Red alert level brings partial 28-day lockdown to 3 Quebec regions including Montreal, Quebec City

Global News

The Greater Montreal area, the Capitale Nationale area in Quebec City, as well as the Chaudières-Appalaches region are being bumped up into the red zone under the province’s novel coronavirus regional alert system as cases and outbreaks surge in the province. Quebec Premier François Legault made the announcement during a press conference in Montreal attended by both Health Minister Christain Dubé and public health director Dr. Horacio Arruda.

Wage subsidy extension into 2021 critical for tourism sector to survive: industry

Kamloops This Week

A coalition of organizations representing the tourism sector says the federal government must keep its wage-subsidy program in place well into next year to help businesses with dire prospects for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty organizations have banded together to form a "coalition of hardest hit businesses" to place public pressure on the Liberal government to rethink the planned phaseout of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program beginning this month.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Kingston-area tourism gets $1 million in federal government funding

Whig Standard

The federal government is to provide $1 million to help Kingston’s tourism sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is to offer up to $20,000 to tourism-oriented businesses and is expected to help up to 100 businesses.

Feds send $750,000 in new pandemic-relief funds to Stratford's tourism sector

The Beacon Herald

Still reeling from the cancellation of the city’s most significant arts and culture events this year, Stratford’s hard-hit tourism industry will benefit from a new injection of pandemic relief cash from the federal government. Economic Development Minister Mélanie Joly recently announced the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) is making $750,000 available to Stratford’s tourism-oriented small- and medium-sized businesses and non-profits.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

THE BEST FALL FOLIAGE SITE!

Just a few weeks left to visit Canyon Sainte-Anne and experience a complete forest immersion and thrilling sensations! Walk across 3 suspensions bridges (one sitting 60 meters high) - Soar at 50km/h over the waterfall onboard AirCANYON!

Outdoor terrace – Flexible Hours – Secure Family Fun Ask about our special group rates!

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Franco-Ontarians can now request ID with French language characters

BarrieToday

The province recently announced that Franco-Ontarians may now request new driver's licences or Ontario Photo Cards that include French language characters, such as accents (e.g. ç, è, é, ê, ë). "Ontario's Francophone community will now see their identity reflected in these products through the use of proper French spelling and characters. This demonstrates our government's ongoing commitment to supporting Ontario's Francophonie," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, in a news release.

Parent presses province for answers on school-bus cleaning during COVID

OrilliaMatters

Local parents are raising alarm bells over cleaning and safety protocols on school buses and what they see as mixed messaging from the province. Leslie Pollak says he first became concerned last month when he started reading the back-to-school protocols for buses when they were released by the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC).

School bus safety during the COVID-19 pandemic: 8 recommendations

WJLA News

Short trips. Masks for everyone. Far fewer passengers than before. Those are my top recommendations for how America’s school buses should take kids to and from school during the pandemic. I am a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering who studies the flow physics of particles and droplets. Since March, I have worked with my University of Michigan colleagues to measure COVID-19 risks on the buses college students use to get around our campus.

Ontario investing to support francophone businesses and recovery

The Review

As Ontario prepares to celebrate Franco-Ontarian Day, the Ontario government is announcing a new investment of $500,000 to support Franco-Ontarian entrepreneurs and businesses. This investment is part of the government’s priority to promote francophone economic development in the province and builds on extended consultations held with the Franco-Ontarian business community since 2018.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

New funding announced for small businesses across North

Sudbury Star

A newly announced short term support program will help regional businesses adapt to safety and public health guidelines imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, and Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford made the formal announcement of the Northern Ontario Recovery Program, or NORP for short.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Reach Your Prospects Every Week

Thousands of industry professionals subscribe to association news briefs, which allows your company to push messaging directly to their inboxes and take advantage of the association's brand affinity. Connect with Highly Defined Buyers and Maximize Your Brand Exposure!

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Brott Music Festival

BMF, home of the National Academy Orchestra, offers wide programming with broad appeal including: classical, opera, pop, chamber, Broadway and rock. The Festival is renowned for its artistic excellence. BMF is one of four Hamilton Anchor Arts organizations and is now entering their 33rd year.

www.brottmusic.com

905-525-7664

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Tourism officials: More help needed for devastated Canadian industry

Travel Pulse Canada

Canada’s tourism industry has been hit harder than any other area of the Canadian economy, and further help is badly needed, panellists said during a recent virtual discussion. Speaking at a virtual meeting of Toronto’s prestigious Empire Club, industry officials said programs such as CERB and other government measures have helped. But much more needs to be done.

School bus routes east of Thunder Bay impacted by driver shortage

CBC News

Since the beginning of the school year the East of Thunder Bay Transportation Consortium (ETBTC), which serves four school boards in northwestern Ontario, has had to temporarily cancel two bus routes due to a province-wide bus driver shortage. Anthony Friedrich, transportation coordinator with the consortium, said the shortage in the ETBTC region is due to a number of bus drivers taking leaves of absence amid the pandemic.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

World’s Largest Collection of Canoes!

600+ canoes, countless stories to tell! Located in Peterborough, The Canadian Canoe Museum offers engaging and inspiring exhibits exploring Canada’s history by canoe. You don’t have to be a paddler to enjoy the museum – but you may become one after your tour!

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CUTRIC launches project to reduce cost of electric bus charging systems

Cision

The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) is proud to announce its investment of $999,000 in a project led by eCAMION, an Ontario-based energy storage solution provider. This investment will enable eCAMION to develop a new bus charging technology, and deliver a product with tremendous export potential that will create jobs in Ontario.

OMCA Report

Connect with OMCA

Dennis Hall, Director of Publishing, 469-420-2656 | Download media kit
Oliver Kirby, MultiView Canada, Senior Content Editor, 289.695.5401 | Contribute news

Ontario Motor Coach Association
320 North Queen Street | Suite 210 | Toronto, ON | M9C 5K4 | 416.229.6622 | Contact Us

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