Change to Information Access on the Horizon

As the phased recovery to COVID-19 rolls out across communities, provinces and international destinations, the priority focus on information dissemination as quickly as possible, broadcasting and helping all was needed.

Now as we move into recovery, access to information is evolving. Colleagues whose jobs were repurposed to serve as information and business advisors are starting to return to their 'regular' job focus, and organizations that didn't charge in the past are introducing fees.

All these will help set our new norm.

A few key ones for us:

Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) has been publishing regular updates to all. In their recent email, you will note "Effective August 1, 2020, only active members of the association will have access to the complete suite of TIAC resources and data. " It will be interesting in others follow-suite. And, as there isn't a joint membership option between TIABC and TIAC, and some businesses can only afford one membership for advocacy, how this may change the landscape going forward.

If you are a SKIFT addict and enjoy reading their regular information, it's time to get out your USD credit card. In March they understandably began asking for donations, now they will reduce access to 3 articles a month as they introduce a pay-to-access service for $365USD per year.

What does it mean to you?

1. Identify your most trusted, helpful sources of information and be prepared to pay for them as all businesses in our industry need to survive.

2. Propose new ideas to the business-to-business community on what you need and perhaps there are creative solutions out there we haven't thought of yet as everyone has been nose-to-the grind in response mode.

3. Think about how new partnerships, with shared risk and investment, can get you to a new place, with new hopes and opportunities.

4. Budget wisely.

At the Tourism Cafe, we are working on a new and innovative solution for the future - as many of you are doing. Stay tuned! We will emerge from COVID-19. Sadly, we will lose some businesses along the way, others will retire or take early retirement, but the desire to travel is there and we will be there with our contribution to the mix.