Mar 8, 2021
Cruise Lines International Association (New West & Canada) thank you to TIABC
Thank you for advocating on behalf of the cruise industry
Walt Judas, CEO
Tourism Industry Association of B.C.
wjudas@tiabc.ca
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your recent letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlining the importance of cruise to the communities and business and lending your support to resumption in Canada.
2020 presented many challenges in every level of our personal lives and related business. A further extension to the Transport Canada Interim Order suspending cruise to February 2022 furthers these challenges.
CLIA and our member lines are working comprehensively to bring forward the health policies and procedures that will lead to the safe resumption of cruise in North America. The COVID-19 Member Policy entails comprehensive prevention, detection and response strategies from the time of booking through the cruise itinerary and at disembarkation. Highlights include measures for crew and passengers around testing, training and communication, ship environment measures to augment medical staffing, case detection and management and pre-arranged response logistics in the event of infectious illness.
As health organizations worldwide engage initiatives to stop the spread of COVID-19, CLIA and our member lines look to every opportunity to engage and align the best scientific and health advice with those that will provide for the resumption of cruise.
In 2019 the total economic impact of cruise to Canada was $4.2 B an increase from $3.2 B or 34% since 2016, the last time a study was undertaken. Jobs climbed to over 30,000 and wages and salaries increased 43.6% to $1.436 B.
Transport Canada’s Interim Order can be revisited or revised at any time. As the challenges of COVID-19 continue and vaccine programs progress we will continue to review every option and opportunity to demonstrate, working with Canadian officials, that cruise can resume and that operational policy and protocols are in place that have led to successful cruising and will protect not only our guests and crew, but also the communities we visit.
Thank you again for your letter supporting the cruise industry, we welcome the opportunity to continuing working with you toward the safe return of cruising to Canada waters.
Sincerely,
Charlie Ball
Chair, CLIA-NWC
Kelly Craighead
President & CEO CLIA
