Vancouver Island may be a more popular tourist destination than ever this summer, with more and more Canadians opting to travel in-country this year. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW staff

summer tourism

Vancouver Island hopeful for more local tourists this summer

Jun 24, 2025 | 5:27 AM

NANAIMO — Vancouver Island might be an even more desirable tourist destination this summer, as additional Canadians choose to travel in-country amid the ongoing Canada/United States trade dispute.

Brian Cant, with Vancouver Island tourism group 4VI, said they’re hearing from lots of Canadians who have opted not to head south into the U.S. this year, with some cancelling their trips south altogether.

“What we’re seeing and hearing is really an uptick in domestic visitors planning to come for the summer, which I think we could have expected just based on the situations between Canada and the U.S. right now and the desire for Canadians to stay in Canada on their summer travels.”

According to Statistics Canada’s April 2025 report on travel to and from Canada, 29.1 per cent fewer Canadians ventured to the U.S. in that month compared to last year.

Those travelling to America still represented almost 64 per cent of all trips taken by Canadians in April.

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Meanwhile, 1.3 million U.S. residents made trips into Canada in April, down 8.9 per cent from 2024, making up 76.7 per cent of all non-resident trips north of the border.

Cant said they’re also hearing a lot of overseas visitors are opting to visit just Canada, instead of heading to both countries in the same trip.

“This happened in 2016 to 2020 as well, especially with the German market. Germans chose to continue their trip to North America, but just to Canada. The key markets that we have for the Vancouver Island region, Germany, the UK, Mexico, the US, they’re all looking relatively strong for the summer months.”

Small business concerns
A recent report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) of those B.C. residents who had travel plans for the summer, 67 per cent are staying in the province.

CFIB senior policy analyst Kalith Nanayakkara said almost half of the small businesses they spoke to rely on summer tourism for a large chunk of their revenue.

“For many, especially in smaller towns like Courtenay or Parksville, it’s not just a bonus, it’s really how they survive the rest of the year. What’s new this year is concern around the US/Canada trade dispute, which has caused a lot of British Columbians to cancel travel to the States, and small businesses are watching closely to see if that will also mean fewer US visitors coming here.”

Only 8 per cent of British Columbians surveyed with travel plans said they’ll still go into the U.S., while 42 per cent have cancelled their business plans into America, and 49 per cent have axed their personal travel trips south.

Nanayakkara said 57 per cent of businesses surveyed expressed concern about the U.S.-Canada trade war disrupting their operations, but they plan to make the most of the locals sticking around.

“They’re (businesses) also seeing lots of consumers choose more affordable goods and services and really being more conscious about their spending. So consumer demand is still a concern…66 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays within that local community…now we need that support more than ever.”

Tourism Nanaimo said they’re ready to show off the region this year, with tourism numbers already getting a good head-start thanks to a citizen-led Nanaimo Infusion event in April, which brought hundreds of primarily American tourists into the Harbour City.

— with files from Jon De Roo/97.3 FM The Eagle

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