Vancouver’s low tourism grades spur sector reassessment

[SpongeG]

Vancouver’s low tourism grades spur sector reassessment

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade gives city D grade for international visitor counts

By Glen Korstrom | June 26, 2018

Vancouverites’ pride in their city as a desirable destination for tourists suffered a blow when the municipality ranked poorly on several tourism-related indicators in the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s (GVBOT) 2018 economic scorecard.

The scorecard ranked Vancouver at No. 7 out of 20 cities from around the world based on 39 different metrics, including average office rent, unemployment rate and labour productivity. But the city received a D grade on tourism indicators, such as the total number of international visitors and the number of visitors at international-association conventions.

When it came to the number of flight destinations from the region’s major airport, Vancouver ranked 14th – a C grade. Vancouver got another C grade for its number of cruise ship calls, ranking ninth.

Metro Vancouver’s status as the largest city in North America to prohibit ride-hailing services such as Uber from operating is another potential tourism deterrent.

Premier John Horgan earlier this month backed away from his government’s promise to legalize ride-hailing services in the province by year’s end.

While the city is well known for its natural beauty, beaches and proximity to hiking or ski hills, critics could point out that the city lacks a major amusement park.

Jim Pattison Group owner Jim Pattison told BIV in April 2016 that he wanted to build a Great Wolf Lodge water park and resort near Squamish if he could work out a deal with the city and First Nations.

His company then floated the idea of building the $150 million park in Surrey, before putting the brakes on those plans.

He told BIV on June 20 that he has no plans to build the resort anywhere in B.C.

The scorecard, for example, gave Vancouver a C grade because its airport’s tally of non-stop flights to 125 destinations is nearly 100 destinations short of the total for similarly sized Manchester, England.

Anne Murray, the Vancouver Airport Authority’s vice-president of airline business development and public affairs, noted Manchester has many more possible destinations within a short flying time than Vancouver does.

“If you think of Manchester, think of the population of the U.K. or the population of Europe or what the population would be within three hours’ flying time,” Murray said.

She added that international bilateral agreements can also limit which destinations certain airlines are eligible to service, and how frequently.

“[Canada’s] air agreement with China is like a trade agreement between countries,” she explained. “They allow a certain number of weekly [flight] frequencies for Chinese-based airlines to Canada, and those are all used right now. So we have [Chinese] airlines that would like to add additional frequencies and they cannot because there are no additional frequencies left on the China side.”

One metric that could have boosted Vancouver’s showing in the Scorecard was the quality of its airport.

https://biv.com/article/2018/06/vanc...r-reassessment

[Metro-One]

The sooner Vancouver’s self satisfied smugness is erased the better things will become.

Vancouver has a magnificent base but all the NIMBYism / wanting to remain a small town / over reliance on “the mountains” / ideology over practicality nonsense is restraining it from becoming so much more.

The view cones, Vision’s ham fisted reconciliation tactics, black and white views towards roads, no corporate signs above 450 feet, allowing protestors to destroy the Chinatown development plan, allowing a small citizen’s group prevent an observation tower at Queen Elizabeth Park for dubious reasons, etc... are all symptoms of these problems. Each one alone is not a make or break deal, but when they all pile on top of one and other...

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

The sooner Vancouver’s self satisfied smugness is erased the better things will become.

Vancouver has a magnificent base but all the NIMBYism / wanting to remain a small town / over reliance on “the mountains” / ideology over practicality nonsense is restraining it from becoming so much more.

The view cones, Vision’s ham fisted reconciliation tactics, black and white views towards roads, no corporate signs above 450 feet, allowing protestors to destroy the Chinatown development plan, allowing a small citizen’s group prevent an observation tower at Queen Elizabeth Park for dubious reasons, etc... are all symptoms of these problems. Each one alone is not a make or break deal, but when they all pile on top of one and other...

Funny because none of the things you're complaining about were mentioned as limiting factors in the article.

[Metro-One]

And I didn’t expect them to be, but they are all symptoms of the same attitude that is contributing to this problem. If you can’t see the over arching parallels not much as I can do for you. These general directions of thought and philosophy are exactly why we lack a major (or at least adequate) amusement park, and why our park board has essentially neutered our aquarium despite great protest from marine biologists, and why there is not even a freakin farm animal petting zoo in Vancouver anymore...

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And I didn’t expect them to be, but they are all symptoms of the same attitude that is contributing to this problem. If you can’t see the over arching parallels not much as I can do for you. These general directions of thought and philosophy are exactly why we lack a major (or at least adequate) amusement park, and why our park board has essentially neutered our aquarium despite great protest from marine biologists, and why there is not even a freakin farm animal petting zoo in Vancouver anymore...

That plus not having any money; forget the VAG - the Aquarium (even with the whales), Playland and all the museums seem to have a hard time just breaking even, let alone expanding.

(sigh)... Looks like we're going to need some more corporate sponsors.

[SpongeG]

the full article brings up those issues, there is also a bit of info on the VAG and needing money etc. to get moving.

[osirisboy]

Seriously if people aren't going to come to Vancouver or stay here longer because we don't have uber than oh well, give me a break. Who makes that a deciding factor on where you travel to? and if you do, get a life!

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Seriously if people aren't going to come to Vancouver or stay here longer because we don't have uber than oh well, give me a break. Who makes that a deciding factor on where you travel to? and if you do, get a life!

Getting around is definitely something many people take into account when planning a trip. Especially when you're not in a European-style city where everything is either within walking distance or you have an excellent public transit system

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Jebby

Getting around is definitely something many people take into account when planning a trip. Especially when you're not in a European-style city where everything is either within walking distance or you have an excellent public transit system

I'm pretty sure people got around fine before uber

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

I'm pretty sure people got around fine before uber

And people communicated fine before smartphones, but try operating a business today without one.

That’s the thing, as new conveniences appear people become accustomed to them.

[whatnext]

These criteria seem pretty lame. No amusement park? Honolulu seems to get by fine with out one, as does Palms Springs, Miami etc etc. They don't even seem to acknowledge a bigger threat, the disappearance of affordable rooms from downtown.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And people communicated fine before smartphones, but try operating a business today without one.

That’s the thing, as new conveniences appear people become accustomed to them.

Well not having uber is part of our culture. Don't people like discovering different places and cultures??? Lol

But for real, someone is wanting to book a trip to Vancouver and then finds out we don't have uber and what? cancels?? Sorry but that is ridiculous. They May as well just stay in their bubble then

[MIPS]

I can assure you that Vancouver's existing ability to park your car and travel almost anywhere by bus or train is fantastic. Uber is more that thing you use when you are with friends after a night of drinking in Gastown and you want to get back to your Kitsilano AirBNB which is totally not a garage-turned-laneway-house.

[isaidso]

I loved my first trip to Vancouver but the glaring hole was the dearth of cultural assets: significant museums/galleries, opera, theatre, professional sports (MLB, NBA), major international festivals, etc. I know there's the Museum of Anthropology at UBC but there's not much beyond that.

No one thing alone will boost tourism to Vancouver but collectively they will make a difference.

[Metro-One]

Again everyone is focusing on a single aspect.
No, no one is going to decide a trip on if a place has ride sharring or not, but all these little aspects together do paint a larger picture that can cause people to choose elsewhere.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by whatnext

These criteria seem pretty lame. No amusement park? Honolulu seems to get by fine with out one, as does Palms Springs, Miami etc etc. They don't even seem to acknowledge a bigger threat, the disappearance of affordable rooms from downtown.

Are you serious??

First of all these are sun destinations, but simple quick google searches find major aquariums that even include such activities as swimming with dolphins, adventure parks, water parks, small scale family amusement facilities, large military museums, etc... And then there is the simple fact that 3 hours out of Miami is Disney World and Universal Studios.

Also seeing safari parks, water parks, and other amusement parks for Palm Springs and area. Even so I have never thought of Palm Springs as an “exciting” place to visit. More of a travel destination for the nearly dead.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Again everyone is focusing on a single aspect.
No, no one is going to decide a trip on if a place has ride sharring or not, but all these little aspects together do paint a larger picture that can cause people to choose elsewhere.

Very true but the issue of not having uber has nothing to do with Vancouver as it's a provincial decision

[flipper316]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And I didn’t expect them to be, but they are all symptoms of the same attitude that is contributing to this problem. If you can’t see the over arching parallels not much as I can do for you. These general directions of thought and philosophy are exactly why we lack a major (or at least adequate) amusement park, and why our park board has essentially neutered our aquarium despite great protest from marine biologists, and why there is not even a freakin farm animal petting zoo in Vancouver anymore...

Isn't there a petting zoo in Stanley Park or Maplewood Flats in North Van?

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by flipper316

Isn't there a petting zoo in Stanley Park or Maplewood Flats in North Van?

Petting zoo in Stanley Park was closed.

I remember going there as a child, good memories.

Not sure about North Van.

[Migrant_Coconut]

There's also the "zoo" in Aldergrove, but for the tourists' and animals' sakes I wouldn't recommend it to anybody.

Originally Posted by Metro-One

First of all these are sun destinations, but simple quick google searches find major aquariums that even include such activities as swimming with dolphins, adventure parks, water parks, small scale family amusement facilities, large military museums, etc... And then there is the simple fact that 3 hours out of Miami is Disney World and Universal Studios.

Plus 5.5 million residents, a rep as a Spring Break destination (and city-sized beaches to match), teams in all four "major leagues," a giant music/club scene, three zoos, and a dozen performing arts centres. We've got big shoes to fill before we can even think of comparing Vancouver to Miami.

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Also seeing safari parks, water parks, and other amusement parks for Palm Springs and area. Even so I have never thought of Palm Springs as an “exciting” place to visit. More of a travel destination for the nearly dead.

Also for one-percenters running away from the city for a week or two. From what I hear it's like a bigger, better Kelowna.