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Mar 24, 2023

TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – March 24th, 2023

TIABC

CEO MESSAGE

Having travelled to over 40 countries and extensively within Canada and the United States, I’ve lost count of the number of airports I’ve visited over the years. At the same time I remember many of them for different reasons.

For example, at Palm Springs International Airport, I feel totally relaxed because of the vibe and the fact that many passenger services are outdoors in the warm, scented air. Conversely, the three airports that service the New York City region are not what one would expect from one of the greatest cities in the world.

Obviously the airport I frequent the most is YVR which still tops virtually all of the major airports I’ve been to in my travels (admittedly I’m a tad biased). It’s beautifully designed and offers good amenities, not to mention is the perfect spot for people watching, which as you know is a pastime I enjoy while waiting for flights. In recent months, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of arriving and departing passengers in the domestic, USA and international terminals. YVR seems to be bustling again with nary a flight that isn’t completely full.

YVR sources tell me that it’s going to be a busy summer with Canada and USA airline capacity at two percent above 2019 numbers, which ultimately bodes well for the entire province. However, the news isn’t all positive. BC is currently trailing the national average and other peer provinces for airline seat capacity. In fact, excluding the United States, international airline capacity remains 26 percent behind 2019 largely due to the slow return of service from China. Only Mexico and the South Pacific are above pre-pandemic numbers.

As I’ve mentioned before, for an industry that relies on the movement of people, connecting BC communities and increasing air service capacity are critical to rebuilding our visitor economy. Hence the reason YVR recently put forward a recommendation to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport to partner with BC airports and establish a merit-based Air Service Attraction Fund to secure more direct flights to British Columbia.

The proposed fund would help increase overnight visitor expenditures, support jobs and connect more people with unique experiences in all regions. Moreover, it would give BC a strategic advantage over other Canadian provinces, as well as a competitive edge over some of our American competitors.

While some destination management organizations and local airports are contributing to route development initiatives, additional investment is needed, especially to build higher yield international traffic that, as referenced earlier, hasn’t yet fully materialized.

TIABC offered its support for the fund and spoke with the province about the opportunity on several occasions. On a related note, we also sent a letter on behalf of Air Canada in their recent pitch to the federal government to add frequencies in the bilateral agreement between Canada and the UAE to allow direct flights between Vancouver and Dubai.

Unfortunately, the BC Air Service Attraction Fund isn’t going to fly just yet. While acknowledging the need, the province has not set aside any budget for now. It doesn’t mean the idea is grounded, but more work on the part of all partners is necessary to see it take off. Stay tuned.

While waiting to catch a recent flight out of YVR, I observed a number of passengers dressed up in animal and superhero costumes, sport uniforms, and even pajamas. I thought now I’ve seen everything and then it dawned on me that these were Canada Rugby Sevens fans who were in town for the tournament at BC Place. It’s one event where you stand out if you’re not dressed in a costume of some sort.

Although mildly amused by their outfits, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was like for these folks to clear security. Alas, just another day of people watching at my favourite major airport.

Walt Judas,
CEO, TIABC

Related Posts

TIABC CEO Walt Judas, BCHA's Ingrid Jarrett, DBC's Josie Heisig, Destination Vancouver's Michael Drake and Vancouver Deputy Mayor Mike Klassen were among the speakers honouring some 800 frontline workers at the recent Vancouver Tourism Awards Gala masterfully emceed by Fast Signs Paul LeBlanc at the JW Marriott Parq Hotel.

The Gala annually celebrates both monthly winners throughout the year, as well as all nominees. This year's featured speaker was BC Paralympian Josh Dueck who won a silver medal in skiing for Canada at both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Paralympics. His message of passion, perseverance and possibility earned him a standing ovation.

Huge kudos to Peggie Terry, the Board of Directors and the entire Vancouver Tourism Awards team for another outstanding gala.

📷: Rhonda Dent
TIABC’s Walt Judas, TOTA’s Ellen Walker Matthews and Travel Penticton’s Thom Tischik connected at the opening reception of the TOTA Summit in Vernon this week. Walt was one of the Summit speakers and spoke about the new political landscape in BC following last week’s provincial election. 

At the TOTA AGM on Tuesday, TIABC Director Sandra Oldfield was elected as TOTA’s new board chair.
TIABC CEO Walt Judas presented to delegates at the Kootenay Rockies Summit in Nelson where he spoke about what the final election results will mean for the tourism sector in BC.  He also moderated a panel discussion on emergency management featuring BCHA's Ingrid Jarrett, HatchComms' Kate Colley, and Kootenay Rockies Tourism's Corrine Bundschuh. The Kootenay Rockies region represents about 10% of British Columbia's annual tourism revenues.
CEO Walt Judas spoke about TIABC's advocacy priorities at the Northern BC Tourism Association (NBCTA) Summit in Prince George this week. It was the first in-person NBCTA conference in five years and attracted close to 100 delegates including Smithers tourism operator Al McCreary who is the past president of ABLE BC.

Delegates heard from several speakers on topics ranging from tourism crisis communications preparedness and sustainability, to AI and trail building with Indigenous partners. The Summit continues through Thursday with sessions on place making, innovation and marketing.
🍁 Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂 

In observance of Thanksgiving, our offices will be closed on Monday, October 14th. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, October 15th. 

Wishing you a joyful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday with family, friends, and loved ones.
2025 BC Tourism Industry Conference 

We’re excited to share that the conference program overview, registration rates, and hotel room booking details for the 2025 BC Tourism Industry Conference are now available to view on our website.

Explore the program overview. While detailed timing will be released later this fall, we're pleased to announce that the program will return to the Wednesday-to-Friday format. Mark your calendars for March 5-7, 2025, and stay tuned for updates on keynote speakers, engaging sessions, networking opportunities, and more.

Visit the conference website through link in bio! 👆🔗 

We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver next year!