Press Releases

The City of Chilliwack is joining dozens of communities, cities and regions around British Columbia to recognize National Tourism Week, May 29 to June 4.

BC's visitor economy has been one of the province's top performing business sectors over the past two years, expanding faster than the economy at large and outpacing traditional sectors such as agriculture and fishing.

"The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) is excited to be celebrating National Tourism Week with our member partners across this province. While TIABC continues to advocate for the interests of BC's $14.6 billion industry, we also take the opportunity to celebrate the tremendous success and importance of the visitor economy to our province,” said Walt Judas, TIABC CEO.

Mayor Sharon Gaetz will recognize the achievements of tourism operators, employees, destination marketing organizations and other stakeholders by personally welcoming guests to the Chilliwack Visitor Centre, 44150 Luckakuck Way, on Monday, May 30, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

In 2015, the Chilliwack Visitor Centre assisted 19,867 people. Visitors come to Chilliwack to experience everything from fishing and hiking to attending sports tournaments and championships. Last year, hotel occupancy increased by 7.7% over 2014 and this year, in March alone, it has gone up 33%.

“Chilliwack is a beautiful place to live, work and play, and it’s no surprise that people are quickly discovering the large variety of outdoor recreational opportunities we have to offer. Nestled in a wide fertile valley, surrounded by tall mountain peaks, large rivers and lakes, Chilliwack features natural majestic beauty, ample recreation opportunities, plentiful tourism related activities, and much more,” said Mayor Sharon Gaetz.

“Our community has enjoyed another banner year. We are home to over 150 tourism businesses that offer authentic, remarkable experiences. Tourism is an important piece of our economy and Tourism Chilliwack is pleased to provide professional marketing expertise to share our wonderful community with others,” said Brian Minter, Tourism Chilliwack Board Chair.

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible added, “British Columbia is experiencing incredible growth in tourism. We saw a 7.9% increase in international tourists as 4.9 million international visitors came to our province in 2015. With a strong U.S. dollar, many British Columbians are also opting to experience B.C.’s world-class tourism through a staycation and exploring BC. It is indeed a time to celebrate Tourism Week in Canada and such an important industry that’s helping B.C. be an economic leader in Canada.”

While the BC tourism industry experienced both summer and winter seasons of record setting numbers last year, the trend is continuing as businesses and destinations across BC have already enjoyed a busy first quarter and are anticipating more record results this summer. Operators and communities around BC are sharing their Tourism Week celebrations on social media using the hashtag #BCTourismMatters.