(Montreal) The Canadian tourism industry welcomes the full opening of the US land border on Monday with mixed feelings.
The end of this 20-month closure of the world’s longest undefended border underscores that health restrictions are easing and more overseas leisure travel may be on the horizon for Canadians. And if Canadians start flocking south for vacations and shopping sprees, they won’t be spending that money at home.
Chris Bloore, executive director of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, says “domestic travel” to popular destinations in his province, such as wineries in Niagara or boutique hotels in Prince Edward County, will undoubtedly be less popular now by Canadians, after being in high demand last summer.
“It’s absolutely inevitable,” he says. But as we start to welcome visitors from overseas again, as we try to lobby for (remove the requirement) PCR testing, for changes in health protocols, we are looking further ”.
Travel and tourism agencies are pressing the federal government, which had already opened its border to Americans in August, to eliminate the current COVID-19 testing requirement for anyone entering Canada. Currently, any Canadian returning to the country by land and who wants to avoid quarantine must provide a negative result on a recent molecular test. Non-residents declared positive are turned back at the border. These tests, which can cost between $ 150 and $ 300 each, remain an expensive requirement, especially for families.
Dr Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said on Friday that this requirement should be reviewed for vaccinated travelers, especially for short jaunts.
“Unless Canada changes these regulations […] I don’t think a lot of people are going to the United States, ”whether it’s a day trip or a longer vacation, said Walt Judas, director of the BC Tourism Association. .
In contrast, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley in its province are likely to experience a significant drop in the number of Canadian visitors who have been wintering in their RVs in British Columbia since the start of the pandemic. . “So these people will probably do as they did in previous years and go to the United States,” Judas believes.
On the other hand, it is not just the campgrounds that will feel the impact of the decline in Canadian visitors. “They all use other places and facilities, they go to the grocery store, they eat in restaurants, some might even choose to stay in a hotel for a more localized getaway,” he said.
But Beth Potter, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, believes that opening the border, both ways, to non-essential travel is one more step on the road to “normalcy.” pre-pandemic ”.
“More and more Canadians have discovered that Canada has a lot to offer,” she also said. We hope to see this trend continue next summer. And at the same time, we could also expect a return of American visitors. “
Elected officials have also thought of incentives. Premier Doug Ford’s government on Thursday unveiled a plan that would give Ontarians a 20% personal income tax credit for anything spent next year in that province on recreation and accommodation. The credit can reach a maximum of $ 1000 for an individual and $ 2000 for a family, which would give a maximum credit of $ 200 or $ 400 respectively.