Tourism industry asks BC for $680 million stimulus
The devastating impact of COVID-19 on BC tourism sector was driven home on Tuesday by a request for $680 million in relief needed to survive.
The Tourism Industry Association of BC sent a proposal to the provincial government requesting almost half of the $1.5 billion set aside to restart the economy.
“Unfortunately, as the only industry almost entirely based on the discretionary movement of people, the tourism and hospitality sector has been the most severely impacted by far by COVID-19 due to business closure orders and restrictions on personal travel, as well as the closure of international borders,” TIABC’s statement says.
The best case scenario forecasts 2020 revenue to be $6.7 billion compared to $20.4 billion in 2018. To survive, the industry wants $475 million to help businesses stay solvent, $190 million to encourage innovation and accelerate recovery and $15 million to support supply chains.
The Tourism Industry Association of BC sent a proposal to the provincial government requesting almost half of the $1.5 billion set aside to restart the economy.
“Unfortunately, as the only industry almost entirely based on the discretionary movement of people, the tourism and hospitality sector has been the most severely impacted by far by COVID-19 due to business closure orders and restrictions on personal travel, as well as the closure of international borders,” TIABC’s statement says.
The best case scenario forecasts 2020 revenue to be $6.7 billion compared to $20.4 billion in 2018. To survive, the industry wants $475 million to help businesses stay solvent, $190 million to encourage innovation and accelerate recovery and $15 million to support supply chains.
