PREMIER LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN

Letter for Members to Send to Premier

OMCA’s Letter to the Minister of Tourism

OMCA needs your help in getting support for the group travel industry!

We need you to write to the Premier and your local MPP to ask them to support OMCA’s request that the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries provide support for tour operators and coach operators as we emerge from the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

While it is clear that there will be no new support coming to help cover the economic losses suffered by every sector of the economy, the government is in the process of putting in place programs and policies to help “prime the pump” to support sectors in recovery get the economy moving again. They are turning to making strategic investments in measures that will support re-opening and a return to normal.

That is why we are pitching a two-part program. Specifically, we are asking that:

The Ministry to provide grants of up to 50% to tour and coach operators for their marketing plans up to a maximum of $40,000 per operator. These marketing plans would have to be approved by the Ministry and would have to be focused on promoting Ontario tourism.
The Ministry establish a $400/day subsidy to coach operators for Ontario destination trips in order to help reduce the transportation costs for groups.

Here’s where you come in. I’ve also included above a draft letter for you to use in writing to the Premier. Please also send a copy to Minister MacLeod, the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. If you want you can also send this to your MPP, but first and foremost write the Premier, and copy Minister MacLeod.

But this is just a draft, and I strongly encourage you to amend it to add in more of your own story. The truth is, politicians disregard form letters. They get hammered by all manner of lobby campaigns using form letters and they’ve become numb to such obvious tactics. But they will pay attention to letters that are genuine and personal. They can be similar, so feel free to use what you want from the draft, but for maximum effect you must personalize this beyond just putting it on your own company letterhead and adding your signature (which you should do!). Just keep consistent with the “ask”.

Even if you’re a supplier or DMO member we need your help. In fact, your story will be the strongest because it highlights just how much group tours impact all sectors of the industry. Just modify the draft letter to add how important group tours are to your business, area, or activity.

To send it to the Premier you can just send an email to Premier@Ontario.ca with the letter attached. Same thing for Minister MacLeod, her email is: Minister.MacLeod@ontario.ca

For the contact information for your local MPP can be found at:

https://www.ola.org/en/members/current/contact-information

Its just that easy, so please, write them today!

Thanks for your help. Together, hopefully, we can get much needed support for our sector!!!

If you have any questions, please contact Doug Switzer at 416 768-9227 or doug@omca.com.