Following Tuesday's major cabinet shuffle, industry association ACTA says it has four key short-term priorities for its lobbying efforts.
ACTA's "federal advocacy priorities" include:
- The extension of financial support to independent travel agents and furloughed travel agency employees.
- The immediate roll-out of the new Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program.
- The easing of the "avoid all cruise" travel advisory for fully vaccinated travellers.
- The removal of the pre-departure molecular COVID-19 test for fully vaccinated travellers returning to Canada.
Travel is getting easier for vaccinated Canadians, with the federal government lifting an advisory against non-essential international travel last week. But as ACTA identifies in its lobbying priority list, there are still some major obstacles to industry recovery.
With the expiration of major government COVID support programs on October 23, many travel advisors and agencies are worried how they'll get through the next few months, even as business is improving. It can be a long time between booking travel and getting paid.
There's help in wage and lease support for bricks-and-mortar businesses in the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program - and travel agencies were specifically mentioned -- but the status of any income support for the thousands of independent agents remains up in the air.
The "avoid all cruise" travel advisory for fully vaccinated travellers has become nothing but a head-scratcher, considering the massive investment the cruise industry has made in creating a safe environment, and the success it has demonstrated to date.
The PCR test required to return home seems like another requirement past its due date. Though prices are coming down in some destinations and more convenient options are evolving for molecular tests, it's difficult to see why readily available, quick and inexpensive rapid antigen tests aren't sufficient.
While Prime Minister Trudeau's new Cabinet includes several changes to key ministers, ACTA says it is pleased that many of the ministers it built strong relationships with over the past 18 months remain in important federal Cabinet roles.
That list includes Minister of Finance and Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, and Mary Ng, Minister of the expanded category of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development.
"We will begin our advocacy immediately with personal letters going out today to each minister, explaining key points and priorities for our sector," said ACTA President Wendy Paradis.
"While we were pleased to see several measures take place last week that will ease the way for travel to resume, there is still work to be done on several fronts."
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