COVID-19 transition plan gives tourism industry hope for 'best summer in years'

Tourism operators on P.E.I. say the three-step plan for easing out of COVID-19 restrictions announced by the provincial government Tuesday is welcome news.

Corryn Clemence, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I., said providing dates for the transition allows tourism operators to make solid plans.

"This is exactly what our operators needed to give them that, I think, final boost to keep us going and motivate everyone for really what we think will be our best summer in years," she said.

Premier Dennis King announced Feb. 17 as the date for the first stage of the transition plan.

Step 1 includes the important move of lifting the isolation requirement for travellers with at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine when entering P.E.I.

Clemence said that will be particularly beneficial to tourism operators.

The first stage also allows organized gatherings to move from 50 people to 50 per cent capacity, and restaurants, fitness facilities, museums and casinos to have up to 50 per cent capacity.

March 17 is tentatively scheduled to be the beginning of Step 2 and will include further loosening of gathering and capacity restrictions.

We're all looking to the end here and seeing how we can come out of it.— Kevin Murphy

Stage 3 is set for April 7 and is expected to include an end to many public health measures, such as the P.E.I. Vax Pass, mandatory masking, gathering limits and testing at points of entry.

Clemence expects operators will be planning right away for the 2022 season to ensure staffing is in place, and hopes a TIAPEI job fair planned for next month will be well-attended.

Kevin Murphy, president of the Murphy Hospitality Group, said the the next steps involve messaging and marketing to ensure visitors know P.E.I. is open for business. 

"We're all looking to the end here and seeing how we can come out of it and I think this is a great communication piece to the people in business, especially the ones in business who have been affected mostly, that now we have a little bit of a roadmap of what we can expect over the next six to eight weeks."