Canadian travel industry pushing government to open borders for tourism

Jun 11 2020, 7:46 pm

The Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable, an organization comprised of members of the travel and tourism sector, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial premiers, urging them to reopen the provinces, territories, and country to travel.

“Under the leadership of our governments, we agreed to implement tough decisions to protect our health and safety,” the letter reads. “We shut down our schools, our businesses, and our borders. We all made sacrifices and continue to adapt to this new reality.”

It continues that, as Canada continues to reopen gradually, the travel and tourism sectors must be permitted to open for the summer season going on to say that the industry houses 1.8 million jobs and accounts for $102 billion of the country’s economy.

“It relies on the summer season to survive. As Canadians, we wait all year to travel during the summer. We need the summer,” it states.

The organization outlines that it is fully aware of the importance of health and safety, but that the current travel restrictions implemented by the government are “too broad” and “unnecessary.”

In the letter, group describe how the limitations surrounding travel between provinces are restricting Canadians from being able to explore their country freely and should be withdrawn.

In terms of international travel, the letter continues that the approach towards it should be more targeted, explaining how the current compulsory 14-day quarantine policy and the closure of the country’s borders to all those travelling from abroad is “no longer necessary” and not in line with what other countries are doing around the world.

“Not all countries and regions are risky, and we shouldn’t treat them as such,” it states. “For international visitors, it’s time to mirror the measured and safe approaches taken in other countries.”

The letter concludes with the “friends and supporters” of the Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable stating how increased health and safety protocols are being taken up and implemented across the industry within Canada to permit safe travel, stating that it is time to start encouraging Canadian as well as international travellers to visit the country this summer.

“It’s time our government allows Canadians to travel freely,” it declares.

The Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable has received support and endorsements from a multitude of companies in the travel and tourism sectors, including Air Canada, Vancouver International Airport, the Business Council of British Columbia, and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

Emily RumballEmily Rumball

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