B.C. Launches New Roadmap to Bolster Tourism As Economic Driver

A new strategic framework, launched at the annual Tourism Industry Conference, will guide year-round tourism growth that benefits people and communities while protecting British Columbia’s natural environment.

The industry has proven itself as an economic force in B.C., with nearly 6.1 million international visitors from around the globe choosing destinations throughout the province last year – a new record and an increase of 6.4% over 2017.

This framework, entitled Welcoming Visitors, Benefiting Locals, Working Together: A Strategic Framework for Tourism in British Columbia, outlines the government’s vision for continued, sustainable growth in B.C. tourism.

“People from all over the world are discovering all that our beautiful province has to offer and are taking those memories back home with them, “ said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “With diverse vacation opportunities like wildlife viewing, storm watching and world-class festivals, every corner of B.C. offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We want to see this momentum continue to build, and that’s why we launched this new strategic framework. We’re making sure the tourism industry’s benefits are shared with people and communities throughout the province, throughout the year.”

In conjunction with the Tourism Industry Association of BC’s conference, Destination BC released the 2017 Value of Tourism Snapshot. The snapshot shows that in 2017, B.C.’s tourism industry generated $18.4 billion in revenue — up 8.4% over 2016 and 41.3% since 2007.

The tourism industry contributed $9 billion to the B.C. economy, as measured through the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. This is an increase of 6.7% over 2016, compared to the GDP of B.C.’s economy as a whole, which grew by 4.0% in 2017.

These statistics show that B.C.’s tourism industry added the largest value to the provincial economy between 2007 and 2017, relative to primary resource industries, such as oil and gas, mining, forestry and logging, and fishing.

B.C.’s tourism economy will continue to be supported through marketing and destination development. Budget 2019 included an increase of $1 million to Destination BC for the next three years. This increase will allow Destination BC to continue to promote B.C. to international and Canadian visitors in order to develop and grow that industry.

Quotes:

Marsha Walden, CEO, Destination British Columbia –

“Over a 10-year period, tourism contributed the largest added value to the B.C. economy, relative to other primary resource industries. As an industry, this is something we can all be immensely proud of. And by all accounts, 2019 is going to be another strong year for tourism across the province – bringing jobs and opportunities to communities across British Columbia. As B.C.’s tourism marketing organization, we look forward to working closely with Minister Beare, ministry staff and British Columbia’s vibrant tourism industry to implement the new strategic framework.”

Walt Judas, CEO, Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia –

“The Province’s new strategic framework for tourism provides a blueprint for both the growth and sustainability of B.C.’s visitor economy for the foreseeable future. We commend the Province for its extensive consultation with tourism leaders to develop a framework that allows the industry to reach its full potential as one of B.C.’s leading business sectors.”

Quick Fact:

• GDP is the total monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a geographic area during a specific time period, usually a year.

Learn More:

For more information on the Economic Value of Tourism in British Columbia, visit:
https://www.destinationbc.ca/content/uploads/2019/02/Pages-from-2017-Value-of-Tourism_Snapshot_FINAL.pdf

For tourism information and planning: www.hellobc.com/

For more information on Welcoming Visitors, Benefiting Locals, Working Together: A Strategic Framework for Tourism in British Columbia:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/tourism-immigration/tourism-resources/bcs-tourism-framework

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/tourism-and-immigration/tourism-industry-resources/our-tourism-strategy/welcoming_visitors_benefiting_locals_working_together_-_final.pdf

Destination Canada: USA Global Tourism Watch

2017 United States Public Summary Report

Read the Full Report Here: 2017 Destination Canada USA Public Summary Report

Key Highlights Include:

Market Potential:

• The immediate potential market has increased from the previous year: 53.0 million travellers are definitely or very likely to visit Canada in the next 2 years (versus 47.6 million in 2016).

• The international outlook for US travellers continues to soften, while the outlook for domestic travel, both within and beyond state of residence, has seen significant increases.

Competitive Environment:

• Domestic destinations continue to dominate on an unaided basis, spurred by increases for California.

• Canada has jumped 2 spots to 7th in terms of aided mentions due to significant declines in mentions for New England and the Midwest.

• Travellers from New York are among the most likely to mention Canada on both an unaided and aided basis.

Path-to-Purchase:

• New Yorkers and travellers aged 25-44 are among the most likely to be actively planning a trip to Canada.

• Canada’s performance is no longer below average at converting US travellers between the creating a movie and itinerary planning stages.

• Additional focus could be placed on moving travellers from the consideration phase to creating a vacation movie, where conversion is weakest.

Destinations: 

• There are several significant downward shifts in likelihood to visit in 2017, including with BC’s Rocky Mountains, Edmonton, Fredericton, other PEI regions, and the Prairie provinces (including Churchill, Regina, and other regions within Saskatchewan).

• Montreal saw a significant decline in 2017 for most appealing destination

Vacation Activities:

• Natural attractions, Northern lights, historical sites, cruises, nature parks, trying local food and drink, and wildlife viewing are the top trip anchor activities for US travellers.

• Popular activities that Canada could better promote to US travellers: Northern lights, food and drink festivals, cruises, canoeing/kayaking/paddle boarding, amusement parks, and fall colours.

Barriers:

• Cost remains the primary deterrent to visiting Canada. Mentions of inclement weather have fallen significantly.

• Not enough time to take a vacation is the 2nd most frequently mentioned barrier among those at both the evaluation (gathering information or planning a visit) and consideration stages.

For more research information by TOTA, Visit us online at: https://totabc.org/research/

For more research information by Destination Canada, Visit: https://www.destinationcanada.com/en/research

Expedia’s 2018 Year in Review Trends Report

Read the Full Report Here 

Based on Expedia flight data, the following cities all saw an increase in U.S. visitors of at least 40% in 2018, compared to the year prior.

• Barcelona, Spain

• Victoria, B.C., Canada

• Alexandria, Virginia, USA

• Valencia, Spain

• Vientiane, Laos

• George’s, Bermuda

• Mykonos, Greece

• Azores, Portugal

• Kenai, Alaska

• Inverness, Scotland

Novelty reigns supreme when it comes to accommodation type

Travelers are increasingly interested in staying somewhere novel or unique during their getaways. “Tentalows” (a cross between a tent and a bungalow, usually outfitted with plumbing and other modern-day comforts), agritourism properties (think farms, ranches, etc.), castles and chalets all saw increased demand this year.

For more research information by Expedia, visit: https://advertising.expedia.com/

For more research information by TOTA, Visit us online at: https://totabc.org/research/

Destination BC: Thompson Okanagan Regional Profile (2017)

Read the Full Profile Here: Thompson Okanagan Regional Profile (2017)

The Thompson Okanagan Regional Profile summarizes tourism indicators and provides a general overview of the area. The most recent annual data are presented including visitor volume, accommodation and transportation indicators, and information about seasonality and activities.

Top Markets for the Thompson Okanagan
BC residents make up the largest share of overnight visitation (61%) and spending (44%) in
the Thompson Okanagan region. Alberta residents make up the second largest share of overnight visitation (19%) and spending (28%).

Trip Characteristics by Origin

The Thompson Okanagan received 3,721,000 overnight visits in 2014 and generated over $1.4 billion in related spending. Domestic overnight travellers accounted for 85% of visitation and 83% of related spending. International travellers accounted for 15% and 17%, respectively.

On average, travellers to the Thompson Okanagan region stayed 3.6 nights and spent $105 per night. BC travellers stayed 3.0 nights and spent $90 per night during their trip. Other Canadian travellers stayed 4.9 nights and spent $123 per night.

Overnight vs. Same-Day Travel

Same-day travel encompasses travellers who enter and leave a destination (i.e. region) in less than 24 hours. Same-day travellers accounted for 56% of visitor volume and 19% of visitor expenditures in the Thompson Okanagan region.

For more research information by Destination BC, Visit: https://www.destinationbc.ca/Research.aspx

For more research information by TOTA, Visit us online at: https://totabc.org/research/