News Around Town – April 2022

Member Announcements
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new members:

Welcome to our supplier member Mark Millar, Director of Sales at Bespoke audiovisual.

Welcome to our supplier member Patrick Quirouette, Senior Area Sales Manager for Atlific Hotels.

Member Announcements

 
Congratulations David Dugas and D.E. Systems for being the recipient of the MPI 2022 Influence Award.

Listen to Disa Cameron on InEvent's #podcast!
She discusses the gender-gap in the #events industry, and how she is #breakingthebias. Check out some of her helpful tips for minorities in the industry.

Listen on Spotify NOW: https://spoti.fi/3KFVLUU
Or read all about it HERE

Special Announcement

MPI Global

2022 Rise Award Recipients

Congratulations to all our 2022 RISE Award recipients!

The Chapter Award recipients are…
Industry Advocate: MPI Kansas City Chapter
Membership Achievement: Oregon/Aloha Chapter
Innovative Educational Programming: MPI Italia Chapter
Marketplace Excellence: MPI Caribe-Mexicano Chapter

The Individual Award recipients are…
Meeting Industry Leadership: Valeria Serrano, PCS
Member of the Year: Pawntra Shadab, CTA, CIS, CITP
Member of the Year: Shannon Jones, CMP

We’ll be diving deeper to look at each recipient as we get closer to WEC San Francisco, where we will celebrate! Congrats again to all.

Visit mpi.org/rise for more information.

Help Ukraine

Donate now to help Ukrainian hospitality students in need! Dozens of international agencies have been successful in supporting accommodations and logistics, but most Ukrainian students will not be able to remain enrolled in their university programs without your help. MPIF has already provided $10,000 toward assistance and will match your donation up to an additional $10,000! Help double the difference we can make, today!

http://ow.ly/iAa150ICqRh

State of the Industry

Canada Travel: CDC no longer warning Americans to avoid trips to Canada

Canada is pleased to see that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is no longer warning Americans to avoid travel to Canada, and has dropped the travel health notice from Level 4 to Level 3. With the United States being Canada's biggest inbound market, tourism businesses look forward to welcoming back these visitors.

To read the full press article click: USAtoday

2022 Federal Budget Highlights: A strong, growing and resilient economy

After five consecutive years of growth, the pre-COVID visitor economy generated $105 billion in expenditures in Canada in 2019. The sector remains a key economic driver and job creator, especially for young and rural Canadians.

With the onset of the pandemic, workers and businesses in the tourism industry felt the full impact of public health measures and border closures.

To date, the tourism and hospitality sector received an estimated $23 billion in support through the federal government’s emergency programs.

As part of these efforts, and to ensure Indigenous businesses are part of the recovery, Budget 2022 proposes two important measures.

• To provide $20 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, in support of a new Indigenous Tourism Fund to help the Indigenous tourism industry recover from the pandemic and position itself for long-term, sustainable growth.
• To provide $4.8 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, to the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada to support its operations, which continue to help the Indigenous tourism industry rebuild and recover from the pandemic.

These measures build on other ongoing supports for the sector, including $1 billion in support provided through Budget 2021 programs such as the Tourism Relief Fund and the Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative. An estimated $750 million of these funds are expected to be used to support the sector in 2022-23. Destination Canada is also expected to spend more than $48 million for marketing campaigns in the United States, in order to draw in more visitors and increase economic activity.

To consult the full budget report, click: Canada resilient

Federal supports still needed by hardest-hit businesses

Canada’s visitor economy, including business events, is in the very early stages of rebuilding our shattered industry. It will take years for our hardest-hit businesses to “turn the corner” after suffering border closures, shutdowns, labour shortages and other disruptions caused by the pandemic.

That said, Budget 2022 contains several significant wins for the visitor economy:

• Open Border: Ottawa has dropped testing at the border for fully vaccinated travellers and Budget 2022 signals that the government intends to keep the border open by removing all funding associated with border closures and quarantine program spending.
• Labour:  Budget 2022 addresses backlogs and processing times under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and promises to revisit the Immigration Act to prioritize the types of skills needed by industries such as tourism
• Federal Tourism Growth Strategy: To be led by the Minister of Tourism in close consultation with industry stakeholders. 

To read full article click: Meetings mean business

Industry News in General

Capital in one city

The City of Ottawa and Ottawa Tourism brought more than 125 local tourism and business leaders, owners, and operators together at Canada in One City event at the Westin Ottawa to share how city branding can lead the way to economic recovery. Guest speaker Frank Cuypers of Antwerp talked about reputation in times of uncertainty, while a panel of city leaders discussed the importance of place branding and reputation to economic growth and prosperity and Ottawa Tourism shared examples of local branding work as well as updated resources that help tell a coherent and compelling Ottawa story.

Ottawa’s brand can be encapsulated by the phrase Canada In One City, with themes that reflect our identity: Connect with Canada, Joie de vivre, Canada’s village, and Ottawa’s legacy.

Insert Video: https://youtu.be/UV9Vb6dfnG4

To learn more, click: With Open Arms

2022 is a great time to staycation in Ottawa!
With the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit, Ontarians can claim 20% of their eligible expenses for leisure stays at establishments including hotels, motels, cottages, campgrounds, lodges, resorts, and B&Bs. The incentive is valid for everything from overnight getaways to weekend trips and extended stays of up to one month between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Insert Video: https://youtu.be/GIgsisSEpZ0

To find out more click: Staycation  

Yuk Yuk Ottawa

Comedy is back with Yuk Yuk's at the Ottawa Marriott on Friday and Saturday nights! 🤣 Treat yourself to a night out full of laughs in the heart of downtown Ottawa. Enjoy dinner in Spin Kitchen & Bar or from the comforts of your guest room, followed by an always entertaining Yuk Yuk's comedy show onsite.

To see show details click: YUK YUK 

💻 Education Corner🖱

Shine on Academy

Ottawa Tourism has launched the Shine On Program, a front-line service training and recognition program which takes the place of Stars of the City and Ottawa Host. This new online training portal and employee nomination system is available to Ottawa Tourism members at any point throughout the year – and both are completely free! 

The Shine On Academy is an interactive learning tool to teach employees about tourism in Ottawa, but anyone in the local tourism industry can enroll to further their Ottawa and tourism knowledge.

Start Learning today click: SHINE

Upcoming Industry Events

📅 April 28-30, 2022 – 9am to 5pm at Pan Pacific Hotel Toronto

the EVENT Embrace. Engage. Thrive.

APART BUT CLOSER THAN EVER
Although we are apart, there has never been a more important time to stay connected.
the EVENT was first held in Ottawa in 2018, then in Montréal in 2019, and took a pause in 2020 due to the pandemic before returning virtually in 2021. 
For 2022 we are again ready to embrace, engage and thrive.
Our Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal/Québec MPI Chapters united for 1:1 networking opportunity. Our goal is to do things differently.

📅 May 3, 2022 – 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Trillium Ballroom Shaw Centre

Shine on

Ottawa Tourism invites you and your front line staff to a launch event for our brand new front line customer service training and recognition program, Shine On. Shine On is comprised of the Shine On Academy, a four-course online learning program and the Shine On Awards, a nominations-based system to recognize and celebrate front line service employees.

We encourage you to share this invitation with staff so that together, we can celebrate Ottawa’s radiant and resilient tourism industry

Register today by clicking: SHINE ON

📅 June 6, 2022 – 2:00 PM - 7:30 PM at Metcalfe Golf Club

MPI Ottawa Annual Golf Tournament

Save the date.

Stay tuned for more: MPI Ottawa Chapter Annual Golf Tournament

📅 June 21–23, 2022 – San Francisco

World Education Congress

Your getaway to a new era of events. Act 1, 2 and 3. Are you ready?

The congress is more than just an event’s experience it is a game changer.

You won’t learn from the experts; you’ll learn with them.

Register today by clicking: YES TO WEC.

 Article edited by Darlene Kelly-Stewart | LinkedIn at Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services