People from around the world continue to choose British Columbia as their destination for business and leisure travel.

The latest numbers from Statistics Canada show a three per cent increase in visitor arrivals in December 2017 over the same month in 2016, resulting in 11,869 more visitors arriving in British Columbia. In total, over 5.7 million overnight visitors came to the province last year – an increase of 3.3%, or 181,700 visitors, over 2016.

The growth in 2017 is attributed to several factors, including increased access to B.C. from several key international markets, such as Australia, Germany, Mexico, China and France. Increased air traffic to Vancouver contributes to the vitality of the tourism industry, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture reported recently.

The government’s tourism marketing agency, Destination BC, works with tourism stakeholders throughout the province to market British Columbia as a world-class tourist destination.

Increases for December 2017 (over December 2016) include:

* France – up 42.9%

* Japan – up 26.2%

* South Korea – up 21.3%

* Australia – up 15.7%

* China – up 14.5%

* Germany – up 14.4%

* United States (excluding same-day visitors) – up 1.9%

* Asia/Pacific – up 8.9%

* Europe – up 5.3%

Increases for 2017 include:

* Australia – up 20.4%

* Germany – up 15.4%

* Mexico – up 12.9%

* China – up 7.1%

* France – up 5.7%

* Japan – up 5.1%

* South Korea – up 3%

* United States (excluding same-day visitors) – up 1.9%

* United Kingdom – up 0.2%

* Asia/Pacific – up 6.4%

* Europe – up 3.4%

In 2016, the tourism sector employed over 133,000 British Columbians and paid $4.7 billion in wages and salaries.

Tourism supported over 19,100 tourism-related businesses in B.C. and contributed $7.9 billion towards the province’s gross domestic product, the ministry reported.

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