Tourism is a major part of the provincial economy. British Columbia's scenic attractions, combined with its clean, safe image, serve to make it an attractive destination for Canadian as well as international tourists. In addition, there are a wide variety of urban and cultural attractions, ranging from the performing and visual arts, to professional sports, amusement parks and shopping as well as opportunities for outdoor pursuits.

Tourism is a major part of the provincial economy. In 2007, most indicators of the provincial tourism sector continued to show solid growth. Room revenues remained on an upward track and hotel operators saw occupancy rates reach an 11-year high. There were more Canadian travellers returning home through BC, and visitation from overseas countries was up. In addition, more people were employed in tourism-related industries in the province last year. However, total visitor entries fell once again as the number of American travellers continued to decline.

The North Coast region led the province in growth during 2007 (+29.1%), driven by higher revenues at fishing lodges, motels and hotels. This marks only the third year since room revenue statistics were developed by BC Stats that North Coast exceeded the provincial average. The neighbouring region of Nechako recorded a substantial increase (+18.4%), building on past gains in 2005 and 2006. Interior regions of the province, including Kootenay (+14.1%) and Thompson/Okanagan (+12.3%), also experienced substantial growth. Vancouver Island/Coast (+8.3%), Cariboo (+7.9%) and Mainland/Southwest (+7.4%) posted more moderate increases. However, Northeast (-7.0%) was the only region to experience lower revenues last year.

Inter- and intra-provincial travellers continued to be an important market for BC’s hotel industry in 2007. Despite the decline in overnight US entries, the average hotel occupancy rate (66.9%) reached its highest level since 1996. In addition, the average room rate advanced 5.4%, surpassing growth in the previous nine years.

There were more travellers through BC’s major airports in 2007. Continuing the trend that began in 2003, passenger traffic at the Victoria airport (+6.6%) increased at a faster pace compared to the Vancouver airport (+3.4%). BC Ferries recorded higher vehicle volume (+0.3%) while passenger volume was flat (0.0%).

Overall, 2007 was another good year for BC’s tourism sector. Accommodation room revenues showed solid growth, visitation from overseas countries increased, and hotel occupancy rates and tourism-related employment continued to advance. Although the number of travellers from the province’s largest international market—the US—continued on a downward trend, it appears that domestic travellers have been driving the expansion of BC’s tourism sector.

British Columbia's national, provincial, regional and local parks provide a spectrum of natural beauty, breathtaking scenery and opportunities for outdoor enjoyment and recreation.

The 807 protected areas (provincial parks, ecological reserves, recreation areas and other protected areas), covering 11.4 million hectares, are diverse in their features and facilities. There are 13,302 campsites, 487 day-use areas, 136 boat launch areas and 3,000 km of hiking trails within provincial parks, which serve approximately 24 million park visitors each year.

Nearly one-tenth of the province's parks are wilderness, largely untouched and frequented mostly by backpackers and mountaineers. Inland and coastal waters are dotted with marine parks intended primarily for waterborne users.

The abundance and variety of wildlife in British Columbia reflect the great diversity of the province's environment. There are more species in total and more unique species of birds and mammals than in any other Canadian province.

In British Columbia, the salt and fresh water resources of the province provide both recreational and tourism opportunities for such activities as sport fishing, boating and sailing. Canoeing, kayaking, and river rafting are becoming increasingly popular, however the activity most in demand is sport fishing.