Destination BC Releases 2024 BC Resident Perceptions of Tourism Research

Destination BC is pleased to release the 2024 BC Resident Perceptions of Tourism survey findings and Snapshot Series, providing valuable insights into how residents across the province perceive the economic, social/cultural, environmental, job/career, and Indigenous impacts of tourism at the provincial, regional, sub-regional, and local levels. Insights from this annual survey contribute to shaping the Globally Competitive Tourism Ecosystem strategy, which is one of three strategic levers highlighted in Destination BC’s 2023-2025 Corporate Strategy.

This research, based on the Fall 2024 Resident Perceptions survey of over 4,800 respondents, helps tourism industry partners, destination management organizations, and policymakers better understand residents’ views on tourism and its role in their communities.

BC Resident Perceptions of Tourism Snapshot Series

The Snapshot Series presents findings at multiple levels:

• BC-wide report
• Six regional reports
• Seven sub-regional reports
• 19 local reports (for communities with a large enough population for local-level reporting)

These reports provide valuable insights into how residents perceive tourism, offering data that supports informed decision-making in destination management and industry planning. 

PLEASE NOTE: The reporting does not directly compare cities, as the purpose of this research is to inform and educate, not instill competition at the community level. This year’s Resident Perceptions reporting is being published with data collected to date. Outstanding community reports will follow on a rolling basis as data becomes available.

Key Provincial Highlights

• 80% of respondents value the contributions visitors make to their local economy.
• 74% agree that the positive impacts of tourism in their community outweigh the negatives.
• 71% believe tourism enhances their quality of life.
• Most respondents feel that tourism levels are well-balanced in the spring and fall.

Community Size for Snapshot Reporting and Future Publications

Some locations had sample sizes too small to produce a Snapshot Series report. If a report is not available for your community, Destination BC provides resources for communities interested in conducting their own research. 

Destination BC is working toward a more dynamic and accessible way to share insights from the Resident Perceptions snapshot series. While this year’s reports remain in a static format, plans are underway to introduce an interactive dashboard in the future. This transition will provide easier access to both historical trends and new data, including a three-year dataset starting next year, enabling more meaningful longitudinal comparisons and trend analysis over time.

Toolkit for Conducting Resident Perceptions Research

While the Snapshot Series provides broad insights, smaller communities can independently conduct their own resident perceptions survey using Destination BC’s Developing and Designing Research Studies – Examining Resident Perceptions of Tourism in BC toolkit. This free resource equips destination management organizations with a step-by-step guide to survey development, sampling methodologies, data analysis, and reporting. Communities conducting their own research using the toolkit’s key questions may be eligible for future Snapshot Series reporting.

Destination BC will work with interested communities to support future resident perceptions of tourism research and encourages participation in the annual survey.

The long-term goal is to provide useful, credible, and consistent research and reporting across the province for industry partners, including DMOs, local governments, provincial agencies, and private businesses. The Snapshot Series reports will continue to be released annually.

Guided by Destination BC’s Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Jarrett Bachman, this research supports Destination BC’s commitment to building a globally competitive tourism ecosystem that enhances the well-being of BC residents and visitors alike.

Links and Resources:

• BC-Wide report
• Reporting: BC Resident Perceptions of Tourism Snapshot Series
• Snapshot Series JPEGs for Social Media and Presentations
• Toolkit: Developing and Designing Research Studies – Examining Resident Perceptions of Tourism in BC
• Destination BC Research Hub Further Reading

About Destination BC’s Research & Analytics Team:

Destination BC operates as a data-driven organization led by our in-house Research & Analytics team who work collaboratively to engage in comprehensive studies across various facets of the tourism industry in BC. The team monitors evolving markets and multiple performance indicators, leveraging a diverse range of research tools and methodologies to ensure a comprehensive approach that provides industry partners with data and insights to enhance the effectiveness of future marketing and development projects and yields valuable information utilized by tourism partners, government entities, media outlets, and educational institutions.