Increased flight service to Vancouver and a low Canadian dollar are among the factors behind a 12.4 per cent increase in international visitors to B.C. over the first half of the year, with more than 2 million people making the trip.
According to new data released by the Ministry of Tourism this week, 2.3 million people visited B.C. during the first six months of 2016, a 12.4 per cent increase over the same period last year.
Among the countries with the largest increase of visitors were the United States, Mexico, and China, with increases of 12.4 per cent, 38.6 per cent, and 22 per cent respectively. During the month of June alone, some 656,676 international visitors stayed in B.C., an 8.6 per cent increase compared to June 2015.
In 2015, 4.9 million international visitors came to B.C. — about an 8% increase compared to 2014.
It’s believed much of the increases are due to increased airline service to Vancouver, the weak Canadian dollar, and an international marketing campaign spearheaded by Destination B.C.
“This year continues to show that the world has chosen British Columbia as a top spot in their travel planning,” said Minister of Tourism Shirley Bond in a statement. “A 12 per cent increase in international visitors in the first half of 2016 is great news for B.C. These additional visitors help support our businesses and create jobs, which in turn, help drive economic growth in the province.”
Nearly 19,000 businesses and 127,500 employees benefit from tourism in B.C. Some $98 million is invested annually by the provincial government in the tourism sector.
