Thursday, December 24, 2020
The British Columbia government has added $55 million to a grant relief fund for supporting tourism businesses that are struggling in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourism Minister Melanie Mark said that the additional cash is due to recommendations of a task force report to immediately initiate a $105-million fund to assist the tourism sector.
The relief fund more than doubles the $50 million for tourism announced in September by the provincial government in its economic recovery plan.
Mark said at a news conference, “When we think about tourism, we’re thinking about destinations. We’re thinking about experiences. We’re thinking about filling our tank and getting away, and we can’t do that under COVID-19 and the travel restrictions and we acknowledge that as a government.”
Tourism task force chairwoman Tamara Vrooman said that the relief fund provides a first step to boost the industry for recovery in the COVID-19 era.
“Many of the businesses had a tough summer and tough fall and now we’re going into a tough winter, and so the emergency funding to bridge those very vital businesses is to ensure that when the tourists come back, the businesses are there to welcome them with employees who are very happy to work in the sector,” Vrooman said.
Tourism contributes more than $20.5 billion to B.C.’s economy, employing more than 160,000 people.
The report says, “Tourism is a microcosm of B.C.: it has big and small businesses, large revenues and small, a diverse population and a love of our province, but at its core, tourism is a people business. With emergency funding now, we can continue to deliver the benefits of this excellence into the future.”
Tags: british columbia
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Thursday, April 18, 2024
