BC’s Tourism Industry Plays an Important Role in the Economic Well-Being of 94% of British Columbians: Destination BC Releases Public Perceptions Survey

Destination BC is sharing the results of the 2022 Public Perceptions of Tourism survey. Launched in May 2022 to understand BC residents’ perspective on the impacts of tourism in our province, the survey shows that BC residents feel that the tourism industry plays an important role in the economic well-being of both the province (94%) as well as their individual communities (80%). A high proportion (79%) also agreed that tourism creates career opportunities, is an important investment in growing BC’s economy/communities (79%) and generates substantial tax revenues (78%). Looking at the tourism industry in the context of the BC economy, residents expect the largest contributors of new jobs and economic activity in their community locally and provincially during the next five years to be tourism and construction.

Roughly eight-in-ten residents feel that tourism brings people from diverse backgrounds and cultures into their community (81%), appreciate visitors for their contribution to the local economy (81%), believe their community is welcoming to all visitors (80%), and feel the tourism industry supports local businesses (79%). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 61% of BC residents feel that they can now better understand the value of the tourism industry. Roughly half of respondents (47%) believe that residents are involved and play a role in influencing the planning and development of tourism in their community.

The report is available for review here.

An infographic is available, as well social media tiles to share the findings of the report.

Key Insights:

• Destination BC launched the 2022 Public Perceptions of Tourism survey in May 2022 to understand BC residents’ perspectives on the impacts of tourism. The survey was completed by 3,806 BC residents.
• BC residents overwhelmingly responded that the tourism industry plays an important role in the economic well-being of both the province (94%) as well as their individual communities (80%).
• A high proportion (79%) also agreed that tourism creates career opportunities, is an important investment in growing BC’s economy/communities (79%), and generates substantial tax revenues (78%).
• Looking at the tourism industry in the context of the BC economy, residents expect the largest contributors of new jobs and economic activity in their community locally and provincially during the next five years to be tourism and construction.
• Roughly eight-in-ten residents feel that tourism brings people from diverse backgrounds and cultures into their community (81%), appreciate visitors for their contribution to the local economy (81%), believe their community is welcoming to all visitors (80%), and feel the tourism industry supports local businesses (79%).
• As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 61% of BC residents feel that they can now better understand the value of the tourism industry.
• Roughly half of respondents (47%) believe that residents are involved and play a role in influencing the planning and development of tourism in their community.
• BC residents trust in the infrastructure and accessibility of their communities as they welcome visitors is down since 2019 (69% in 2022 versus 78% in 2019).
• Since 2019, BC residents feeling on the environmental impacts have decreased, with 54% of residents feeling that tourism uses more locally produced good, services and agricultural products than other industries (down from 62% in 2019), and 45% of residents feel that tourism contributes to the protection, conservation and/or preservation of biodiversity and local landscapes (down from 52% in 2019).
• Over half of residents (54%) want more tourism in British Columbia in the next five years as compared to before COVID-19. A slightly smaller proportion would like to see an increase in tourism to their individual community (43%).
• The majority of BC residents believe the positive impacts of tourism to British Columbia outweigh the negatives (75%) and want to see tourism continue to grow in their community (66%). As well, 79% of respondents agree their community is a desirable place to visit and 72% of respondents take pride in making visitors feel welcome to their community.
• Destination BC has heard from industry that stronger sustainability and climate change action is needed, and our executive team is working to address concern in our upcoming corporate strategy. Destination BC will continue to share the power and benefits of tourism to BC communities.