Destination Vancouver today released a new survey which shows that the majority of residents overwhelmingly value the contribution that visitors make to the local economy.

Key results from the survey’s overview Residents’ Perceptions of Vancouver’s Tourism Industry:

  • 80% of residents value the contribution visitors make to the local economy.
  • 81% of residents agree that the tourism industry supports local businesses in their community.
  • 74% of residents agree that the positive impacts of tourism in their community outweigh the negative.
  • 76% of residents take pride in making visitors feel welcome in their community.

“At Destination Vancouver, we know that locals are an integral part of ‘Team Vancouver’ so it’s essential for us to understand how residents perceive tourism and the impact it has on their community,” said Royce Chwin, President & CEO, Destination Vancouver. “The survey shows that most residents have a clear understanding of the positive economic impact that visitors make and the symbiotic relationship between tourism and investment in our city.”

Recognizing the importance of the city’s visitor economy—which drew more than 10 million visitors last year, supports 57,000 jobs, and generates close to $8.5 billion in economic impact—the City of Vancouver, declared April 15 – 19 as Tourism Appreciation Week in Vancouver.

The Proclamation notes that “the thriving visitor economy enhances our city’s reputation as a world class destination, promotes trade and investment, creates jobs, and fosters connections between residents and visitors.”

April 15 – 19 is also National Tourism Week in Canada. National Tourism Week recognizes that tourism is a cornerstone of local and national prosperity and makes a significant contribution to our local economy, culture, and communities:

  • Tourism is an economic powerhouse—contributing more than $300M a day for Canada’s economy.
  • Tourism is outpacing the global and Canadian economies.
  • 1 in 10 Canadian jobs depend on tourism—this equates to 2 million tourism-related jobs.

Survey Methodology

Destination Vancouver’s Residents’ Perceptions of Vancouver’s Tourism Industry is part of Destination British Columbia (DBC) annual Resident Perceptions of  British Columbia’s Tourism Industry. The survey of BC residents tracks and monitors their perceptions of the tourism industry on a community and provincial level.

Online surveys were completed by BC residents using online panels via Sentis Research. The online survey was fielded in November 2023

Total sample size used in this report:

  • British Columbia: n=4684
  • Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Region: n=2685
  • Vancouver: n=617

Results are weighted by tourism region, age, and gender to be representative of BC’s overall population.

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Media Contact

Destination Vancouver
Suzanne Walters | Director, Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
T 604.631.2855 / C. 604.328.2701

E swalters@destinationvancouver.com

 

About Destination Vancouver

Destination Vancouver is the non-profit, member-led destination management organization for the spectacular city of Vancouver, BC. Our purpose is to transform our communities and our visitors through the power of travel and to be thoughtful leaders, advocates and ambassadors for our city. We work with our partners and 800+ members in Vancouver's visitor economy to develop compelling experiences and offerings for our visitors and to promote Vancouver in key Canadian, US, and international markets. The responsibility to build a sustainable and resilient visitor economy is the foundation of everything we do. www.destinationvancouver.com