Mexican visitors, Aboriginal tourism driving B.C. tourism boom - Action News
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British Columbia

Mexican visitors, Aboriginal tourism driving B.C. tourism boom

The number of international visitors coming to B.C. rose 14 per cent compared to the same period last year, and many are spending their money in the booming Aboriginal tourism sector.

'Aboriginal tourism is one of the fastest-growing tourism areas in the province'

Aboriginal tourism is one of the fastest-growing tourism areas in the province. In this photo visitors walk past totems on a Haida Gwaii island. (Bob Hilscher)

The number of international visitors coming to B.C. rose 14 per cent compared to the same period last year, and many are spending their money in the booming Aboriginal tourism sector.

More than 1.6 million overnight visitors came to B.C. during the first five months of 2016, according to Statistics Canada.

Visit fromMexico made up the largest jumpat38 per cent, while visits from the U.S. were up almost 16 per cent.

The province's Tourism Ministry speculated the low Canadian dollar and added flights to Vancouver helped fuel the rise.

International overnight visits have increased over this time last year in B.C., like this happy traveller in Buchart Gardens, Victoria B.C. (Gena Cartalla/Flickr)

A B.C. tourism ministry press release singled out Aboriginal tourism as the fastest-growing sector in the province.

Revenue doubled from$20 million in 2006 to $42 million in 2012 as the number of Aboriginal-owned tourismbusinesses rose to 300, far exceeding targets setfor 2017.