TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – August 2, 2024

On a trip to the Okanagan last month, I decided to leave my truck behind for my son to finish moving stuff into his new house. Because I needed to find a convenient and reasonable way home at the last minute, I opted to bus back to the coast rather than fly. Due to an accident, the bus was two hours late departing from West Kelowna, which was my first clue that it would be a long journey home.

Approximately 30 minutes into the trip, we stopped for more than half an hour to change drivers, then drove 45 minutes or so before taking another 20-minute break in Merritt. By this point, I was tempted to take the wheel myself.

The bus finally pulled into my stop at 12:30 am. After nearly six hours on the road (not to mention the original delay) I was tired and grumpy and feeling as though I had travelled clear across the country.

As I was downloading my frustrations, my lovely wife gently reminded me that at least I found a way to get home safely and relatively quickly even if it was well past the scheduled arrival time. She also told me to stop whining considering that many folks in parts of BC don’t have easy or affordable access to motor coach or airline travel, and are essentially stuck if they don’t own a car.

Reflecting on my recent journey, but more importantly hearing from members regularly that being able to move around the province is critical to the growth and prosperity of BC’s visitor economy, I chose to focus on transportation-related recommendations as part of TIABC’s submission to inform the Federal Government’s 2025 budget.

Three of the five key ideas we put forward support the need for Canada to be more seamlessly connected to allow visitors and residents more transportation options, which ultimately benefit tourism, as well as other sectors. We proposed for government to:

1. Develop and help fund a multi-modal transportation system for Canada that expands connectivity across the country, enhances rural/urban connections, and maximizes the interconnected role played by Canada’s airlines, motor coach, passenger rail, and cruise ship stakeholders in improving traveller access throughout Canada.
2. Create a fund dedicated to improving tourism infrastructure vis-a-vis electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in rural areas enabling Canada to meet its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air Strong Economy goals through a reduction in carbon emissions; and invest in the domestic production of biofuels and green solutions for Canada’s transportation sector.
3. Launch a dedicated Tourism Infrastructure Fund to support major capital projects in the sector, with a particular focus on building, renovating or expanding airports, conference venues, and attractions. The recommendations mirror what our national counterparts (TIAC) included in their pre-budget submission and are similar to what

TIABC advocated for last year. However, we offered two other recommendations specifically pertaining to issues I also hear about constantly from members and stakeholders. The first is the creation of a dedicated tourism sector disaster relief and recovery fund for operators to prepare for, respond to, and in particular, recover from major crises such as wildfires, flooding, and drought. The second pertains to the creation of an assistance program for anchor tourism businesses that includes loan guarantees, longer-term repayment options, and lower interest rates to enable companies to refinance existing debt and support approved capital expenditures. We’ve been advocating for these last two recommendations for some time, recognizing the impact of COVID still lingers and disasters are something we face in one form or another each year.

On a related note, the Province’s annual pre-budget consultation process was shelved this year given the impending election. Regardless, TIABC will offer budget recommendations in whatever format once a new government is elected this fall. 

While I was irked about various delays and getting home so late, the bus ride itself was actually a pleasant experience. I didn’t have to worry about other drivers, getting a speeding ticket, falling asleep behind the wheel, stopping for gas or a bathroom break, trying to eat while driving, returning texts, or any number of other obstacles one might encounter while travelling in their own vehicle. At the same time I’m also thankful my truck is back in the driveway ready to take me on a last-minute road trip in the coming days to help bolster BC’s visitor economy.

Walt Judas
CEO, TIABC