Anybody who lives in BC, or has ever been here knows this is a great place to visit. Whether it's enjoying the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Vancouver, combing a beach for sand dollars, hiking in our pristine parks or skiing on any of the province's internationally-renowned mountains, there is something for everyone. No wonder British Columbia is one of the world's top travel destinations.
The following is a snapshot of what the tourism industry means for our province:
- British Columbia hosts more than 5.6 million overnight international visitors a year.
- Tourism generated $12.7 billion in revenues in 2009.
- Tourism accounts for approximately 129,000 direct jobs in British Columbia.
- BC will need 84,000 NEW tourism workers over the next decade.
- The Food and Beverage sector will need more than 44,000 new workers by 2015; Accommodations will need 19,000 new workers; Adventure Tourism will need 13,000 new workers; and Attractions will need 8,000 new workers.
- Four out of every 10 jobs in tourism created over the next 10 years will be outside the Lower Mainland/Southwest British Columbia.
- In 2008 there were nearly 18,000 tourism-related business establishments in British Columbia. Between 300-to-500 new tourism businesses are started each year. These include accommodations, restaurants, resorts, attractions and tour operators.
- In 2009 the GDP analysis showed that tourism accounted for $6.3 billion of British Columbia's total GDP.
- Tourism is an export industry. It is the second largest earner of export income for the provincial economy, after Wood Products. Foreign visitors travel to BC to purchase the product - the BC tourism experience. The money they spend exceeds the amounts brought into the province by other export industries such as oil and gas, mining, agriculture and fisheries.
For more information on British Columbia's tourism industry, visit Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia.
Contact:
Joyce Lam, go2
604-633-9787 ext. 227
jlam@go2hr.ca
