Last year was a record-setting year for Metro Vancouver tourism with 10.3-million visitors, an increase of three per cent over 2016, according to data from Tourism Vancouver.
This is the fourth consecutive record-breaking year for the region.
Where did people visit from?
Visits from Australia saw the most growth with a 20 per cent increase in 2017 to more than 200,000 visitors. That was followed by Germany with an increase of 15.4 per cent and Mexico with 12.9 per cent.
Japan also saw an increase of 5.2 per cent.
“The United States remains Metro Vancouver’s largest international travel market,” read a release from Tourism Vancouver. Tourism from the U.S. brings more than 2.4-million overnight visitors to Metro Vancouver.
China is Metro Vancouver’s second largest international market, with 300,000 visitors.
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It was also a busy year for the Port of Vancouver, with 842,928 passengers and 236 vessels visiting in 2017.
According to Tourism Vancouver, each cruise ship brings an average of $3 million to the local economy.
“It is estimated that the tourism industry in Vancouver contributes approximately $4.8 billion to the Metro Vancouver economy annually and provides more than 70,000 full-time jobs,” read the release.
The organization says new flight routes to Vancouver’s International Airport, as well sporting events and marketing initiatives all played a role in increasing the region’s tourism numbers.
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