InnFocus Fall 2023

y Ingrid Jarrett, President & CEO
A Record-breaking Summer
The summer season is now behind us,
and over this period, we’ve observed
market strength in urban centres, resort
communities, and well-developed regions
for leisure travel.
Our STR reports have indicated recordbreaking
summers in most destinations
unaffected by fires and evacuations.
Looking ahead, several positive indicators
are worth noting. One such indicator is
the increasing international demand for
the BC experience, accompanied by the
hospitality offered by our industry across
the province. However, measuring against
2019 or 2022 with certainty remains a
challenge, given the evident fact that
nothing remains the same; our new reality
operates at a different pace.
A Challenging Wildfire Season
Although certain areas of the province
experienced a successful summer,
others were once again confronted with
the devastating consequences of our
changing environment and the expanding
wildfire season. Notably, Vancouver
Island—particularly Tofino, Ucluelet, and
Port Alberni—witnessed disappearing
reservations overnight due to the Cameron
Lakes Bluff Wildfire, resulting in $44 million
in lost tourism revenue. Similarly, operators
in the Okanagan and Central Interior
were met with the significant financial
repercussions of an essential-only travel
order, as wildfires swept through the region
and tragically consumed West Kelowna’s
Lake Okanagan Resort. Evidently, natural
disasters such as this bear a devastating
impact on our industry, a threat that
continues to escalate in light of climate
change realities. It becomes increasingly
obvious that our province requires reliable
transportation options and corridors for
these vulnerable destinations to safeguard
their businesses.
Our commitment remains steadfast:
ensuring support for accommodators
and hospitality providers of all sizes
throughout the province, with gratitude
extended to those who provided shelter to
displaced individuals during this summer’s
challenging fire season.
Growth in Groups/Meetings
Looking into the remainder of 2023,
the substantial growth in the groups/
meetings business seen earlier in the year
is expected to continue at a steady pace.
However, there is a degree of hesitancy due
to the reality of interest rates, affordability
concerns, and the looming specter of
recession. Moreover, the escalating costs
of business ownership create a challenging
operating environment.
Focus on Employee Retention
The workforce shortage in some parts
of the province is gradually easing,
prompting most employers to focus on
retention. We are raising wages and
benefits, implementing wellness checks,
and recognizing the significance and
contributions of our hospitality teams.
This is a testament to the fact that we
are fundamentally engaged in the people
business, a principle that will always remain
unchanged.
Advocacy Efforts
Our advocacy efforts are unrelenting.
We’ve commissioned a comprehensive
study on the impact of short-term rentals
on affordability within the province. We
eagerly anticipate sharing these findings
and resources to preserve affordable rental
housing within your community, and to
ensure that municipal policy supports the
livability and affordability of your locality.
Our engagement with multiple ministries
ensures that this research translates into
actionable measures. Additionally, we
persist in our collaborative efforts on the
MRDT ecosystem and FIFA’s large-scale
events with our partners at the Hotel
Association of Vancouver and Destination
Vancouver.
The Tourism Growth Strategy and
supporting the development of hotels and
resort around the province is also a focus
for our work. I am excited about the pipeline
and diverse interest in development
opportunities in all regions of the province.
Upcoming Events
Lastly, we’re thrilled to present several
upcoming events throughout the remainder
of 2023. These include the SPARK Hotel &
Liquor Conference, scheduled for October
16 & 17 at the Anvil Centre. Furthermore,
we’ve expanded our Fast Track Your
Future education series, featuring five sixweek
courses hosted over Zoom. These
sessions offer targeted training on vital
subjects such as financial leadership and
housekeeping best practices. Moreover,
the BCHA has once again been invited
to participate in the exclusive Destination
Canada Mobility Forum, where we aim to
connect international job seekers from
France and Morocco with employers in
BC to address their hiring requirements.
If you are interested in taking advantage
of this unique and LMIA-exempt hiring
opportunity, you are encouraged to
connect with BCHA’s Workforce Strategist
Alison Langford at alison@bcha.com.
4 InnFocus