Although public health officials are currently not encouraging non-essential travel to the Interior Health Region, we know that the measures being taken now will ensure that we can welcome back travellers from the US and other international destinations soon. This will include meetings, conferences, and events business, which brings valuable economic impact to our region, particularly during shoulder seasons. 

In early August, Canadian borders were reopened to eligible, fully-vaccinated US visitors for non-essential travel. In addition to its increased domestic marketing in response to COVID-19, Destination Canada is once again targeting American travellers, including meeting planners. The organization recently sent out information regarding resources for the tourism sector, including the following tools from the Public Health Agency of Canada: 

  1. Infographic: This one-page document, which can be downloaded from the Government of Canada website, provides information regarding land and air travel from the US to Canada. 
  2. COVID-19 Toolkit: This in-depth document provides a wealth of information regarding the requirements for those travelling to Canada. It also includes digital resources, links to further information, and more. Download the toolkit here.
  3. Marketing Toolkit: Find a comprehensive fact sheet, as well as blog, newsletter, and social media content that can be shared through your digital marketing channels. Access the resources here. 

When the time is right, tourism businesses in and around Kelowna can also use these resources, where appropriate, to inform visitors of what to expect when travelling to Canada. 

The border is tentatively set to reopen to fully-vaccinated international travellers (from countries other than the US) as of September 7. Information regarding travel to Canada from the US and other international destinations can also be found on the Government of Canada website. 

Those tourism businesses looking forward to welcoming back business events from the US, when it's time, can also access Destination Canada's helpful planning tools or connect with our Business Development team for information that can be used to inform planners of the requirements for hosting events in Canada.