B.C. tourism business events, workforce support receive grants (flickr.com)

Media Contacts

Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

Government Communication and Public Engagement
778 676-6015

Backgrounders

Facts about B.C.'s tourism sector
  • The business events market is reporting 85-100% in lost revenue since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 
  • The planning lead time for smaller business meetings or conferences is typically one to eight months and large international conferences one to seven years in advance.
  • On average, meetings and conference delegates spend 40-70% more than leisure travellers and international conference delegates spend up to four times more.
  • The BC Hotel Association, PavCo, which runs the Vancouver Convention Centre and BC Place, and tourism and events industry experts Pacific Destinations Services and Floor13 Consulting validated the Business Events and Conferences Restart Fund being allocated to organizations that were significantly involved in meetings and conventions before the pandemic.
  • Since the start of the pandemic, the B.C. government has invested more than $570 million in supports for the tourism sector, including the Small and Medium Size Business Grant and Circuit Breaker grant, providing funding to nearly 8,200 tourism and hospitality businesses.
  • Budget 2021 committed $120 million for tourism recovery initiatives ($20 million for tourism infrastructure, up to $50 million for Major Anchor Attractions and $50 million for tourism recovery).