The Value of Tourism
Tourism helps keep things fresh in Nanaimo, bringing a steady stream of new faces and attractions to the city year round. As Vancouver Island's Hub City, Nanaimo has long been a popular tourist spot, and an ideal starting point for coastal vacations. The effects of steady tourism can be seen everywhere here, from beautiful waterfront parks to rows of successful businesses along Commercial Street downtown.
Nanaimo's thriving tourism industry is mirrored in towns and cities throughout British Columbia, which combine for nearly $10 billion in provincial tourism revenue every year. A significant portion of that revenue ends up in Nanaimo, thanks to the city's strategic position near the central east coast of the island, and wide variety of transportation options coming and going. Steady tourism also helps pay for Nanaimo's extensive transportation infrastructure, which includes the Trans Canada Highway, two major BC Ferries terminals, and a regional airport just south of the city.
For more information on the value of tourism in Nanaimo and throughout BC, please visit Tourism BC.