Vancouver tourism statistics at a glance
Vancouver tourism is large, seasonal, and tightly tied to both leisure demand and the broader visitor economy. The numbers in this dataset show a destination that combines strong annual visitor volumes with meaningful hotel performance, airport traffic, cruise activity, and citywide economic impact.
Here are the most important figures to anchor the rest of the article:
- $8.9B in tourism revenues in 2024 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 11.2M overnight visitors in 2024 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 60,000+ tourism jobs in 2024 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- $3.1B in labour income in 2024 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 80% downtown Vancouver hotel occupancy for Jan-Dec 2025 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 26.2M passengers at YVR in 2024 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- 1,327,309 cruise passengers at the Port of Vancouver in 2024 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
Table of contents
- Vancouver tourism by the numbers
- Visitor volume and annual trends
- Hotel performance and downtown demand
- Air, cruise, and gateway traffic
- Visitor mix and market breakdown
- Economic impact and local sentiment
- What the data says about Vancouver tourism
Vancouver tourism by the numbers
Fast facts
- 2024 tourism revenues reached $8.9B (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 2024 overnight visitors totaled 11.2M (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 2024 labour income tied to tourism reached $3.1B (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 2024 tourism employment exceeded 60,000 jobs (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- Downtown hotel occupancy hit 80% for Jan-Dec 2025 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- YVR handled 26.2M passengers in 2024 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- The Port of Vancouver handled 1,327,309 cruise passengers in 2024 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
Why these numbers matter
These figures describe more than a popular destination. They show a tourism system that creates revenue, supports jobs, moves visitors through an airport and seaport, and sustains hotel demand across the city.
The scale is important for two reasons.
First, tourism is not a narrow niche in Vancouver. The 2024 revenue figure of $8.9B (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights) sits alongside 11.2M overnight visitors and 60,000+ jobs, which means visitor spending is spreading into accommodation, attractions, restaurants, transport, and related services.
Second, the market is operationally complex. Vancouver tourism depends on a mix of domestic travel, cross-border arrivals, international long-haul visitors, cruise volumes, and event-driven spikes. That shows up clearly in the airport, hotel, and cruise statistics.
Visitor volume and annual trends
Annual overnight visitor trend
A useful way to read Vancouver tourism statistics is to separate the disruption years from the recovery years. The long-run visitor series shows a destination that was already large before the pandemic, collapsed in 2020, and then rebuilt strongly through 2023.
| Year | Annual overnight visitors | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 6,511,606 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2000 | 8,448,542 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2007 | 8,912,525 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2010 | 8,415,366 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2014 | 8,935,437 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2016 | 10,045,068 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2019 | 11,020,193 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2020 | 3,042,503 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2021 | 4,026,121 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2022 | 8,795,153 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
| 2023 | 10,947,070 | Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023 |
A few patterns stand out from this table:
- Vancouver had already crossed 10.0M annual overnight visitors in 2016 (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
- The destination reached 11,020,193 overnight visitors in 2019 before the sharp pandemic decline (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
- Recovery was strong by 2022, when annual overnight visitors rebounded to 8,795,153 (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
- By 2023, overnight visitors had risen again to 10,947,070, nearly returning to the 2019 scale (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
Monthly seasonality signals
The monthly figures in the dataset show how strongly Vancouver tourism rises and falls through the year.
- January 2023: 584,273 overnight visitors (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
- June 2023: 1,110,168 overnight visitors (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
- August 2023: 1,452,743 overnight visitors (Destination Vancouver Visitor Volume 1994-2023).
That spread points to a clear summer peak. August was more than twice January in the provided 2023 monthly figures, which is the kind of seasonal pattern that matters for hotels, attractions, and staffing plans.
2024 revenue and labour picture
The 2024 figures show the visitor economy translating into financial value.
- $8.9B in tourism revenues (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- $3.1B in labour income (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 60,000+ tourism jobs (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
These are not isolated totals. Together they describe the size of the ecosystem behind Vancouver tourism. Revenue matters, but labour income and jobs show how that revenue supports day-to-day economic activity.
Hotel performance and downtown demand
Downtown Vancouver hotel benchmarks
Hotel data gives a near-real-time view of tourism demand. In this dataset, downtown Vancouver hotel performance is strong enough to show both monthly and full-year signals.
| Period | Occupancy | ADR | RevPAR | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | 66% | $255 | $169 | Destination Vancouver Research & Insights |
| Jan-Dec 2025 | 80% | $342 | $275 | Destination Vancouver Research & Insights |
From those figures, three useful takeaways emerge:
- The full-year 80% occupancy level for Jan-Dec 2025 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights) suggests a strong core demand base.
- The $342 ADR for the same period indicates that downtown Vancouver hotels were able to maintain high average room pricing (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- The $275 RevPAR for Jan-Dec 2025 ties occupancy and pricing together in a single performance measure (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
December sits below the full-year average at 66% occupancy, $255 ADR, and $169 RevPAR (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights). That does not weaken the overall story. It shows a market that still has seasonal variation even when annual performance is high.
What hotel data implies about visitor demand
Hotel statistics are useful because they sit close to the consumer decision. People do not just express interest in Vancouver; they book rooms.
Strong occupancy at 80% for Jan-Dec 2025 (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights) suggests that tourism demand is not limited to one event or one month. It is sustained across the year. High ADR also suggests that the market can support premium pricing, which usually reflects a combination of location appeal, event demand, business travel, and leisure willingness to pay.
Air, cruise, and gateway traffic
YVR passenger statistics
YVR is one of the clearest indicators of Vancouver’s role as a gateway city.
- 26.2M passengers in 2024 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- 5% increase from 2023 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- 54 airlines served in 2024 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- 120 destinations connected in 2024 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- 339,000 tonnes of cargo moved in 2024 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- Cargo increased 7% versus 2023 (YVR 2024 annual report).
A few more detailed air-travel indicators help fill out the picture:
- Domestic traveller volume was up 0.3% versus 2023 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- Transborder passenger volume rose 9.7% versus 2023 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- International passenger volume rose 10.4% versus 2023 (YVR 2024 annual report).
- YVR said 28 of 36 airline customers responded to its survey, a 78% response rate (YVR 2024 annual report).
- 89% of responding airlines said YVR was meeting or exceeding expectations (YVR 2024 annual report).
March 2026 YVR activity snapshot
The monthly operational snapshot in the dataset shows how active the airport remained into 2026.
- 2,268,876 total enplaned and deplaned passengers in March 2026 (YVR Facts and Stats).
- 33,425 tonnes of cargo movements in March 2026 (YVR Facts and Stats).
- 21,366 runway movements in March 2026 (YVR Facts and Stats).
- 2,287 non-runway movements in March 2026 (YVR Facts and Stats).
These numbers support the wider tourism story in a practical way. A destination with sustained passenger flows, cargo movement, and extensive airline connectivity is better positioned to absorb visitor demand across seasons and markets.
Cruise traffic at the Port of Vancouver
Cruise data adds another layer to the city’s visitor economy.
- 1,327,309 cruise passengers in 2024 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
- That was 7% higher than 2023 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
- 1,243,060 cruise passengers in 2023 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
- 810,090 cruise passengers in 2022 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
The sequence matters. Cruise demand rose from 810,090 in 2022 to 1,243,060 in 2023 and then to 1,327,309 in 2024 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview). That shows a steady recovery path and reinforces Vancouver’s role as a multi-modal tourism hub.
Visitor mix and market breakdown
Jan-Apr 2025 visitors by market
The source table for Jan-Apr 2025 provides a useful snapshot of where visitors were coming from.
| Market | Jan-Apr 2025 visitors | Source |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | 585,004 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| Alberta | 157,547 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| Ontario | 306,759 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| TOTAL CANADA | 1,243,068 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| TOTAL U.S. | 496,697 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| TOTAL ASIA/PACIFIC | 160,178 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| TOTAL EUROPE | 52,384 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| TOTAL OTHER INT’NL | 67,651 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
| TOTAL VISITORS | 2,019,978 | Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market |
This market mix highlights a few important features:
- Canada remained the largest source market at 1,243,068 visitors in Jan-Apr 2025 (Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market).
- The U.S. contributed 496,697 visitors, which is a substantial share of the total (Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market).
- Asia/Pacific, Europe, and other international markets together added more than 280,000 visitors in the same period (Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market).
What the market mix suggests
The mix of domestic, cross-border, and international visitors matters because it reduces dependence on one segment.
- Domestic and nearby provincial travel provide a base of volume.
- U.S. demand supports cross-border leisure and short-haul trips.
- Overseas markets help diversify the visitor economy and can support longer stays and higher-value trips.
The Jan-Apr 2025 table also shows a total visitors figure of 2,019,978, alongside a 2025 YTD column total of 1,999,468 in the source table comparison column (Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market). That tells you the source itself is tracking visitor totals in a comparative format, which is useful when reading market performance over time.
Economic impact and local sentiment
The economic side of tourism
Vancouver tourism is not only measured in hotel nights and arrivals. The dataset includes a very large event-driven economic impact example that shows how quickly visitor spending can scale.
Taylor Swift’s three Vancouver shows were estimated to generate:
- $157M in total economic impact (Destination Vancouver Taylor Swift economic impact).
- $97M in direct spending (Destination Vancouver Taylor Swift economic impact).
- More than $27M in total tax revenue (Destination Vancouver Taylor Swift economic impact).
- Upwards of 150,000 attendees (Destination Vancouver Taylor Swift economic impact).
- 82,000+ room nights booked across the region (Destination Vancouver Taylor Swift economic impact).
This is a useful tourism example because it shows how a high-profile attraction can affect hotels, restaurants, transport, and tax receipts all at once. It also helps explain why destinations pay close attention to major events as part of their tourism strategy.
How residents view visitors
Public sentiment matters because tourism depends on social support as well as visitor demand.
According to the dataset, 79% of Vancouver residents said they value visitors’ contribution to the local economy (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
The rest of the response split was more muted:
- 18% were neutral (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- 3% disagreed that visitors contribute to the local economy (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
That is a strong approval profile. It suggests that most residents see tourism as an economic asset rather than a nuisance, which is important context for any city with major visitor volume, cruise traffic, and airport activity.
What the data says about Vancouver tourism
The supplied statistics point to a destination with several overlapping strengths:
- Scale: Vancouver recorded 11.2M overnight visitors in 2024 and $8.9B in tourism revenues (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- Operating depth: Downtown hotels posted 80% occupancy for Jan-Dec 2025, with $342 ADR and $275 RevPAR (Destination Vancouver Research & Insights).
- Gateway reach: YVR handled 26.2M passengers in 2024 and connected to 120 destinations (YVR 2024 annual report).
- Cruise relevance: The Port of Vancouver handled 1,327,309 cruise passengers in 2024 (Port of Vancouver 2024 Statistics Overview).
- Market diversity: Jan-Apr 2025 visitor data shows strong domestic volume plus meaningful U.S. and overseas participation (Destination Vancouver 2025 Visitors by Market).
The numbers also show that Vancouver tourism is not static. It moves with seasons, large events, airline demand, and regional travel patterns. That combination is what makes the destination economically significant and operationally interesting.