Agency owners urged to participate in ACTA’s “Save Travel” video campaign as subsidies end

The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) has launched a new advocacy campaign that calls on all travel agency owners to take part.

The initiative, which runs from March 8-11, 2022, is called “Save Travel” and it comes as the federal Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program rent and wage subsidies are set to decline in half on March 13 and end entirely May 7.

ACTA is calling on agency owners to visit www.savetravel.ca and upload a one to two-minute video that ACTA will promote on social media and directly with government leaders and politicians.

The videos should explain the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, how the rent and wage subsidies allow for survival until recovery, and a plea that the scheduled decline on March 13 be eliminated and that benefits continue in full until at least July 2022.

“These videos can be a powerful and emotional advocacy tool,” said Wendy Paradis, president of ACTA, in a release on Tuesday (March 8).

Following this call to action, ACTA will establish a video campaign for independent travel agent financial support, the association said.

ACTA is calling on the Government of Canada to maintain subsidy levels at 100 per cent until summer.

“The fifth wave of Omicron has devastated Canada’s travel and tourism small businesses, nearly eliminating the winter holiday season,” said Paradis. “While recovery is on the horizon, border restrictions remain and travel agencies and independent travel agents cannot recover until the summer season.”

“It is imperative that the rent and wage subsidies continue at 100 per cent levels until at least July 2022.”

The Government of Canada’s Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program wage and rent subsidies have been critical to travel agency survival during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The subsidies have helped hardest-hit travel agencies with up to 75 per cent of support.

Go to www.savetravel.ca to upload your video now!

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