Canadian Travel and Tourism Leaders Call on Federal Government to Release Comprehensive Reopening Plan Ahead of G7 Summit

Acknowledge Quarantine Changes for Fully Vaccinated Canadians as a First Step

OTTAWA, ON, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable (The Roundtable) acknowledge the federal government's decision to remove the mandatory hotel quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated Canadians and reduce quarantine upon the results of an arrivals test as an important first step in the right direction, but additional policy changes are needed to support the recovery of the industry. 

With that in mind, the federal government has yet to publish a comprehensive reopening plan for international and domestic travel, particularly around fully vaccinated foreign nationals visiting Canada.

As Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Freeland travel to the United Kingdom to attend the G7 summit later this week and begin international discussions around a global vaccination passport, Canada remains an outlier among its G7 peers, having yet to announce a comprehensive reopening plan.

The Roundtable is urging the federal government to release an implementation plan based on the recommendations made in the COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel report, presented to the federal government last month.

Canadians are doing their part in getting vaccinated; now it is time for the federal government to provide clear, timely, and safe guidance on reopening Canada for travel. Though today's announcement addresses quarantine measures for fully vaccinated Canadian, it does not address border measures, quarantine restrictions for partially vaccinated Canadians and fully vaccinated foreign nationals, and ongoing testing requirements.

"Today Canadians were provided some clarity around travel for fully vaccinated Canadians. This is an important first step in the right direction. I urge the government to use the G7 as a platform to announce a comprehensive reopening strategy that will bring Canada in line with most of the other G7 countries rather than a series of piecemeal announcements," stated Perrin Beatty, President & CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

"With vaccinations rising and case numbers going down, we must pivot to forward-thinking policies, rooted in science, and begin looking at things like reopening the border. A holistic Canada wide plan is needed to provide certainty to Canadian businesses and employees in the sector. We are seeing provinces fill in the gaps that have been created by the absence of a federal reopening plan and this will create confusion for travellers," added Beth Potter, President & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

About the Canadian Tourism Roundtable

The Canadian Tourism Roundtable is a cross-Canadian coalition of leaders in the tourism and travel sector – including representatives from airports, airlines, hotels, and chambers of commerce across the country – committed to working together to restart the sector smoothly and safely. Travel and Tourism is a $102 billion sector, employing millions of Canadians across the country and accounting for 2.1% of the country's gross domestic product. It advocates for a safe and prosperous tourism and travel sector across Canada. 

Members of the Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable

ACCOR	Global Business Travel Association
Air Canada	Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
Air Transat	Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
American Express Global Business Travel	Hilton Hotels Canada
Association of Canadian Travel Agents	Hotel Association of Canada (HAC)
(ACTA)	InnVest Hotels
Avis Budget Group	International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Business Council of Canada	Live Nation Canada
Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums	Marriott Canada
(CAZA)	Meetings Mean Business Canada
Canadian Airports Council (CAC)	Montreal Canadiens
Canadian Association of Tour Operators	National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC)
(CATO)	Porter Airlines
Canadian Chamber of Commerce	Pursuit Collection
Canadian Gaming Association	Rainmaker Global Business Development
Canadian Live Music Association	Rocky Mountaineer
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan	Ticketmaster
Montreal	Toronto Region Board of Trade
Chorus Aviation Inc.	Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Destination Toronto	(TIAC)
Enterprise Holdings	Tourisme Montréal
Evenko	WestJet
Fogo Island Inn

SOURCE Canadian Tourism Roundtable

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