The Value of Tourism
The Value of Tourism
In January, 2022 TIABC launched The Value of Tourism (VoT) initiative. This project was designed to increase the understanding of tourism as a powerful engine for economic, cultural, and social well-being, and to secure cross-government support for tourism investments by describing how tourism benefits every community and region in British Columbia.
This project was also designed to increase interest in tourism as a career choice, as well as provide insight into how tourism can be a catalyst for addressing major issues and opportunities such as climate change, sustainability, reconciliation, workforce, among other priorities.
British Columbia’s visitor economy contributes to our high quality of life by supporting arts, cultural, sports and historical assets, festivals and events, cuisine and wine experiences, parks and recreation venues, among others. Many studies have also shown that tourism brings big international benefits through trade and investment, education and immigration.
However, tourism’s voice is often unheard by decision-makers when setting policy, developing framework for investment, or introducing major economic initiatives. Similarly, today’s graduating students do not consider tourism as a primary career choice yet the opportunities and benefits are virtually unmatched.
The COVID-19 crisis has challenged BC’s tourism industry in ways we couldn’t have imagined, just a few years ago. Before the pandemic, tourism was one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and BC was no exception. TIABC and its industry partners work diligently to strengthen our collective voice to fully capture the opportunities ahead and address the obstacles hampering industry recovery and growth. Our goal is to foster a climate that strengthens our industry and encourages investment in tourism infrastructure, products and marketing. We also strive to motivate more people to pursue a career in tourism.
