The BC tourism industry is largely anchored in the “Super, Natural British Columbia” brand which invites visitors to enjoy activities in our wild and healthy landscapes.
Tourism
Employs 137,000 9 billion Provincial GDP 1.2 billion Provincial Tax Revenue 5.4 billion Export Revenue
The impact of current forestry practices not only have negative implications for future timber supply but also impacts the tourism industry which contributes billions to the provincial GDP with room to grow more sustainably.
There are many other examples of economic interdependence between tourism activities and old or mature forests, including:
Hunting, fishing, and guiding
Wildlife viewing
Mountain biking
Backcountry hiking, skiing, and snowmobiling
Canoeing, camping, and horseback tours
Touring
Information provided by the Adventure Tourism Coalition states that adventure tourism directly or indirectly supports 32,000 families and generated $3.2 billion in visitor spending in 2018. A 2014 analysis of coastal tourism opportunities provides some insight to the dependence of the sector on forests; 78% of surveyed marine tourism operators indicated that their business is “somewhat or very dependent on the natural environment,” and 37% cited viewscapes as the primary motivator for nearly all their clients.