While bookings at Tourism Whistler (TW) are still well down relative to a normal summer, things are beginning to pick up as B.C. shifts into Phase 3 of its four-phase COVID-19 restart plan.
“Our resort-performance monitoring shows us that room-night bookings have actually increased 10 per cent week over week in our latest report, so it’s definitely starting to pick up,” said Lauren Everest, Tourism Whistler’s senior manager of corporate and member communications, on June 23, one day before Premier John Horgan offcially announced the province's transition to Phase 3.
“We know for sure that there is a lot of pent-up demand for regional travel, and we anticipate that a lot of travellers are likely waiting for B.C. to transition into Phase 3 and for the provincial health authorities to lift their recommendation against non-essential travel.”
The message for inquiring guests at this time is to try to align their travel plans with Phase 3 of the restart, Everest added.
“We are encouraging them to review the COVID-19 information and resources for travellers page [at whistler.com/covid], and that is a summary of what’s going on locally, provincially and federally when it comes to COVID-19 through a tourism lens,” she said.
Guests and locals can also find info on local businesses’ reopening plans and safety protocols through TW’s Open Doors Directory (www.whistler.com/doors-open).
News that Whistler Blackcomb will open on June 29 for 2020 summer operations is encouraging, especially given recent responses to TW surveys, Everest said.
“We have been conducting research studies during the pandemic to monitor COVID-19 sentiment and travel intentions, and our latest report indicates that 80 per cent of the respondents from the B.C. market are intending to visit Whistler Blackcomb for hiking, sightseeing or biking this summer,” she said.
“So it’s great news that those experiences are going to be available.”
But with COVID-19 factoring in, Whistler’s summer experience is going to look much different than in past years.
“It’s a complete behavioural change, and I think the thing that people should take home is that we want to get open in a safe and responsible way—it’s not going to be the same experience that they’re used to, but we’re very eager to get back at it,” said Marc Riddell, Vail Resorts’ West Coast director of communications.
The Whistler Village Gondola, Peak 2 Peak Gondola and Blackcomb Gondola will bring hikers and sightseeing guests up the mountains, while the Whistler Mountain Bike Park will open with the Fitz and Garbanzo zones. Grab-and-go food options will also be available at the Rendezvous, Garbanzo Bike and Bean, and the Roundhouse Lodge.
All on-mountain transactions will be cashless.
The Blackcomb Ascent Trails will not be open right away, but could be phased in as summer progresses.
Physical-distancing rules will be in place and masks will have to be worn in several areas of the mountain including during line-ups and loading.
While most guests will likely be accustomed to being asked to physically distance, and maintain two metres from others, “the thing that is perhaps different for the guests is that we are asking them to wear face coverings, and that’s including people that are going to be using the bike park,” Riddell said.
Those without a mask will be asked to leave, Riddell said.
Gondolas and other high-touch surfaces will be frequently cleaned and disinfected, while hand-sanitizing stations will be provided.
“If you come with a party, you’re going to be required to ride the gondola with that party,” Riddell said.
“We’re not going to mix and match folks, with the exception of the Peak 2 Peak gondola where you’ll have Plexiglas barriers in place and a limited capacity per gondola on that.”
Pricing for unlimited passes in the bike park range from $415 (child 7-12, regular $490) to $710 (adults 19 and up, $830 regular), while five-day passes are listed at $190 to $315 (find full pricing info at whistlerblackcomb.com).
While rentals will still be available (with proper cleaning and disinfecting protocols in place), bike school, lessons and camps will not be offered to start.
“We’re going to evaluate that and we’re hoping to introduce bike school as we go along, but certainly camps like the DFX camps won’t be running this year,” Riddell said.
Park riders are also asked not to camp out the night before opening day.
Capacity will be monitored consistently throughout the day, and managed as necessary, Riddell said.
Where the operator employs about 2,000 people in a normal summer, that number will likely be closer to 1,000 this year, he added.
