Canada’s 150th year has been a banner year in terms of visitor numbers to Parksville Qualicum Beach.
And Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO Evelyn Clark says she thinks the numbers are going to keep growing.
“Everybody is saying they are having a record-breaking year as far as (resorts and hotels),” she said. “So I would think that that’s going to grow.”
International visitor numbers in B.C. and in Canada have seen growth this year, according to Stats Canada numbers released by Destination B.C.
In June, the number of international visitors to B.C. was up 5.3 per cent compared to June of last year, and up 7.9 per cent in Canada.
For the year to date, there has been an increase of 4.1 per cent in B.C. and 6.2 per cent in Canada.
BC Ferries has also reported record-breaking traffic numbers in the first quarter of the year, with vehicle traffic the highest it’s ever been, and passenger traffic the highest it’s been in more than 20 years from the months of April, May and June.
Locally, the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce visitor’s centre is seeing about the same number of visitors as usual, but there’s an uptick in the amount of engagement with the chamber’s social media content, said Clark.
That’s on par with a trend that sees only a certain demographic visiting a physical visitor centre, while more and more people find out about the place they are visiting online.
As for the hotel industry, Clark said she believes it’s done “very well this year in Qualicum Beach.”
“There are a lot of ‘no vacancy’ days,” she said, adding both larger hotel businesses and smaller ones are often at full occupancy.
In Parksville, Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort and Conference Centre is set to have a record-breaking year, surpassing last year’s record, general manager Paul Drummond said.
“Last year was a record year for us. This year will surpass last year’s numbers in terms of overall occupancy,” he said, though he added that part of that may be due to conference and group bookings, and not necessarily the leisure market.
He said the resort is seeing growth beyond the peak season months of July and August.
For the shoulder season, which is considered May, June, September and October, Drummond said September and October broke occupancy records for them last year, and he expects that record to be broken again this year.
Though, again, he said that’s likely largely to do with group and conference business.
Nonetheless, full occupancy at one hotel is good for others, as visitors find places to stay elsewhere in the community.
Clark agreed that the shoulder season is showing strength in Qualicum Beach as well.
“There are more people, once the kids go back to school, coming to the Island as well,” she said.
As for where that growth is coming from, both Clark and Drummond said that the majority is from B.C. and Alberta visitors, with Clark adding there was a fair amount of visitors saying they came to the Island because of the B.C. Interior fires.
They both also reported growth in European visitors.
Drummond said it’s still a small demographic, but a growing one, with most European visitors coming from the U.K., France and Germany.
As for the American market, Drummond said he’s seen a little bit of growth, but “We’d love to see more.”
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