2017 Marks an Impressive Year for Tourism in British Columbia

People from around the world are choosing British Columbia as their destination for business and leisure travel.

The latest numbers from Statistics Canada show a 3% increase in visitor arrivals in December 2017 over the same month in 2016, resulting in 11,869 more visitors arriving in British Columbia. In total, over 5.7 million overnight visitors came to the province last year — an increase of 3.3%, or 181,700 visitors, over 2016.

The growth in 2017 is attributed to several factors, including increased access to B.C. from several key international markets, such as Australia, Germany, Mexico, China and France. Increased air traffic to Vancouver contributes to the vitality of the tourism industry.

The government’s tourism marketing agency, Destination BC, works with tourism stakeholders throughout the province to market British Columbia as a world-class tourist destination. Tourism supports over 133,000 jobs that help people all over B.C. pay their rent and mortgages, purchase food, cover their post-secondary tuition and provide for their families.

Increases for December 2017 (over December 2016) include:

• France – up 42.9%
• Japan – up 26.2%
• South Korea – up 21.3%
• Australia – up 15.7%
• China – up 14.5%
• Germany – up 14.4%
• United States (excluding same-day visitors) – up 1.9%
• Asia/Pacific – up 8.9%
• Europe – up 5.3%

Increases for 2017 include:

• Australia – up 20.4%
• Germany – up 15.4%
• Mexico – up 12.9%
• China – up 7.1%
• France – up 5.7%
• Japan – up 5.1%
• South Korea – up 3%
• United States (excluding same-day visitors) – up 1.9%
• United Kingdom – up 0.2%
• Asia/Pacific – up 6.4%
• Europe – up 3.4%

Destination BC is an industry-led Crown corporation that works collaboratively with tourism stakeholders around the province to co-ordinate tourism marketing at the international, provincial, regional and local levels. It also supports regions, communities and Indigenous people in developing or expanding tourism experiences, businesses and jobs.

Quick Facts:

In 2016, the tourism sector:

• Employed over 133,000 British Columbians
• Paid $4.7 billion in wages and salaries
• Supported over 19,100 tourism-related businesses in B.C.
• Contributed $7.9 billion towards the province’s gross domestic product

Learn More:

International Visitor Arrivals publication summarizes customs entries data to B.C. and Canada from select markets of origin. The data is posted here by Destination BC, once it is released by Statistics Canada.