Visit Vancouver: Tourism up, waterfront will draw

VANCOUVER – Visitors to Vancouver spent nearly $510 million in 2017, according to the latest report from Visit Vancouver USA, and it appears to be rising.

That spending is 8.5 percent higher than 2016, which outpaces the 5.8 percent state average growth, the tourism marketing agency said.

President and CEO Kim Bennett said The Waterfront Vancouver, a 30-acre development under construction along the Columbia River, is poised to be a large draw.

“We have already found a strong interest from visitors in the new park, pier and restaurants,” she said in a prepared statement. “The development will have a positive impact on both those employed in travel-related positions and the economy as a whole.”

Early projections about the waterfront’s impact are rosy, according to the agency. More than $28 million a year could be spent by overnight visitors, and 200,000 annual day trips could kick in $8.5 million, it said.

Jacob Schmidt, director of marketing, said those numbers are based on current data, like average occupancy and hotel rates, which are subject to change.