‘A big sigh of relief’: Canadian businesses wary but optimistic about borders welcoming American tourists

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This article was published 08/08/2021 (1237 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadian business groups say Monday’s reopening to vaccinated U.S. tourists is a big step forward for the embattled tourism and hospitality sector, but government decisions over the next few months will be crucial as the ultra-contagious Delta variant sparks concerns over a fourth wave of COVID-19.

“I think today, a whole lot of tourism operators took a big sigh of relief,” said Beth Potter, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

Though Potter is optimistic that businesses will be able to make the most of late-summer tourism, she thinks business travel won’t start to resume until the fall.

Mark Agnew, vice-president of policy for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said the effect of Monday’s restrictions easing is twofold. For many businesses, it’s late but “better than nothing,” as they may be able to eke out a few weeks of tourism business before the fall, he said.

But for business travel, it’s especially good news, he said, as it’s not just a summer thing. Many businesses have been waiting to be able to resume face-to-face operations, said Agnew.

Now, with Delta cases rising and concerns about vaccination rates in both Canada and the U.S., Agnew said it’s important that the government’s border policies only progress forward.

“We don’t want to see any backsliding,” he said.

In a month, Canada will begin welcoming fully vaccinated visitors from other countries, Agnew noted, and the government has yet to announce its long-term policies concerning vaccines approved by the World Health Organization but not Health Canada.

Corinne Pohlmann, senior vice-president of national affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), said the border reopening to U.S. tourists is good news. Also good news is the quick end to a Canada Border Services Agency strike, which threatened to cause slowdowns at the border just as businesses were readying themselves for tourists.

“It’s been a pretty rough 16, 17 months now,” Pohlmann said.

Cities and towns close to the border stand to benefit the most from Monday’s reopening, she said, as well as tourism, hospitality and retail businesses in general.

The next question will be remaining open amid talk of a fourth wave, said Pohlmann.

Potter said as Canada increasingly moves toward reopening both domestically and internationally, the association is advocating for a country-wide vaccination certification system to make travel and business easier and safer.

Lindsay Broadhead, communications director for the Toronto Region Board of Trade, said for businesses involved in Toronto’s multibillion-dollar convention and events industry, 2021 is already a writeoff, but Monday’s reopening gives the sector hope.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment,” said Broadhead, noting that Toronto lost more than $8 billion in 2020 in business travel alone.

Though the borders will be checking vaccination and test status, there are still many challenges at the provincial and domestic level, said Broadhead, and the industry is still seeking clarity in both the short term and long term.

The last thing anyone wants is for restrictions to backpedal, said Broadhead. For many businesses, it would be the “final nail.”