The business tourism industry welcomes with relief the health restrictions announced by Quebec and Ottawa, in view of the events that may take place in the spring.
© Graham Hughes The Canadian Press
On February 15, authorities announced relaxations for properly vaccinated travelers, who will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test result upon entering Canada.
“We are very happy. For us, it’s a breath of fresh air,” immediately reacts Gilber Paquette, General Manager of Tourisme d’affaires Québec (TAQ), which brings together 92% of the infrastructures in the convention and meeting sector in Québec.
“It will help us save the convention season for the months of May and June, which is an intensive period all the same,” predicts the president of the Business Events Industry Group (RIEA), Caroline The page. “We said ‘it’s now or never’. You have to believe that the pressure finally worked. »
She cites as an example the case of a client who was precisely waiting for the government announcement before deciding whether or not his event was going to be held in person next June. “Now we have the answer. It was these events that remained to be confirmed, which were on waivers, ”she summarizes.
On February 8, Quebec announced a series of deconfinement measures for all activities in the province. As of February 21, conventions, assemblies and meetings will be able to resume with a capacity of 50% up to a maximum of 500 people. Wearing a mask will be required at all times, except for eating and drinking. As for the vaccination passport, it will no longer be required as of March 14 in Quebecannounced Tuesday the Quebec Minister of Health, Christian Dubé.
“During the first two weeks [de déconfinement]we are able to come back to meetings that we might not even organize: boards of directors, general meetings, training sessions, conferences,” rejoices Mr. Paquette.
While health rules have restricted capacity to between 25 and 250 people depending on the different waves, the director believes that the conditions for reopening in February will allow the industry to resume its activities. “We hotels rarely manage large rooms, so we will be able to maneuver,” he predicts.
And as of March 14, the reception capacity will increase to 100% without traffic limit in public places.
And the foreign delegates?
According to estimates by the Ministry of Tourism, business meetings, conventions and conferences accounted for 12.5% of all tourism receipts in 2019, before the pandemic, with expenditure estimated at 1.6 to 2 billion. dollars.
That year, 3,449 conventions and events took place throughout Quebec. Travelers from the rest of Canada and other countries were also 1.5 million to come to the province for business tourism. They thus generated tourism spending of $877 million, according to a study conducted by the firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton in February 2020. “56% of total dollars come from abroad. We are talking regarding thousands of overnight stays. It’s still major,” says Mr. Paquette.
On February 15, the Federal Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, announced relaxations concerning properly vaccinated travelers. “The changes are possible because we made the right choices as Canadians and we crossed the peak of Omicron”, he justified.
Thus, from next February 28, they will no longer be forced to present a negative result to a PCR test when entering the country, but to an antigen test approved locally and carried out a maximum of 24 hours before the scheduled date of their flight or entry. into Canada through the land border,” the Minister added. If they wish, they can still present a PCR test, always carried out 72 hours before their arrival in the country.
Some travelers may still be randomly selected to perform a PCR test following landing at the airport. However, they will no longer be forced to remain isolated while awaiting the result of their test, as is currently the case.
Mr. Paquette welcomes the relaxations for foreign travelers “with relief”. “The current rules were hindering the recovery of the international market,” he said, hoping for a resumption of business tourism activities for them as well. Currently, the majority of the conventions already scheduled come from Quebec clients.
According to him, the implementation of rapid screening tests is “the preferred way for a first step” in order to simplify the lives of travelers. He hopes that, where possible, the situation allows all entry requirements to be removed for fully vaccinated travellers. “It is necessary to have clear, standardized and stable control measures between provinces and ideally within the G20 countries. »