B.C. tourism picks up despite closed borders during COVID-19 pandemic

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TOFINO (NEWS 1130) — B.C. tourism seems to be picking this summer despite the loss of visitors from outside the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from Smith Travel Research shows the province’s overall hotel occupancy rate last week topped 55 per cent. Since non-essential travel has been allowed within B.C., the province has encouraged British Columbians to try “stay-cations” to support domestic tourism. 

In Tofino, Charles McDiarmid, the managing director of the Wickaninnish Inn, says about 95 per cent of his current guests are from other parts of B.C.

“When we closed in mid-March, we already had many reservations on the books from people all over the world,” he says. “As the border has been closed, of course, we’re in touch with those guests and let them know that we can’t welcome them this year, but many of them have chosen to just come next year instead.”

Before the pandemic, he says visitors during the summer were almost all from outside the country with about 30 per cent from Canada and about half of that from B.C.

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Since reopening three weeks ago, McDiarmid says the inn’s occupancy rate has dropped, but they’ve been busy enough to hire back all staff

“We’re providing 24 hours between guests in all the guest rooms, so that reduces the potential occupancy right off the bat by about 25 per cent, so it’s a little bit slower for us than normal, but overall, still very steady –just the same,” he says.

“In fact we have more staff than we normally would just because of these extra roles and extra work that needs to be done.”

But not being as busy is alright with McDiarmid.

“We are fine to be a little bit slower than our normal summer time,” he says. “We’re operating with a lot more protocols. We do have ambassador tents as you arrive on the property, so checking in with all our guests coming in and of course, our cleaning protocols and sanitizing protocols.”

Being a litter quieter around the Inn seems to be nice for the guests too, McDiarmid says.

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