Vancouver to get a tourism boost in 2016: Conference Board

Report cites new Trump Tower, rugby tournament for boost in visitor numbers

Vancouver’s tourism sector is poised for a strong summer, and may have the Trump Tower to thank. According to a report released Wednesday by the Conference Board of Canada, overnight visits are poised to grow by 4.1 per cent in 2016, thanks to the strength of both the domestic and international market. Overall visitors numbers are expected to increase 5.6 per cent in 2016 over 2015, thanks in part to the new Trump International Hotel—which opens in September—and from hosting the World Rugby Sevens Tournament in March.

Vancouver’s visitors numbers will also receive a boost from added capacity at Vancouver International Airport. With new routes opening up to Xiamen, China, Brisbane and New Delhi, the Conference Board is forecasting an uptick in overseas visits. At YVR, overall passenger numbers were up 5.4 per cent over April 2015, with total international numbers up 14.6 per cent and passengers from Asia Pacific destinations up 13.8 per cent.

Elsewhere in B.C. overnight visitors numbers are predicted to rise by 3.6 per cent thanks in part to the favourable exchange rate.

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