The number of visitors enjoying the views at Butchart Gardens this year is back up to pre-recession levels.
And although the gap between the value of the Canadian loonie against the U.S. dollar is growing, that’s not necessarily what triggers tourists to come to Victoria, said Dave Cowen, Butchart Gardens general manager.
On Thursday, the Canadian dollar slipped to its lowest level against its U.S. counterpart since Sept. 1, 2004, meaning U.S. visitors are getting about $1.30 Cdn for each greenback they spend here.
“I think people want to come and visit beautiful Victoria and that is the primary driver,” Cowen said.
Tourists get a “pleasant surprise” once they arrive, Cowen said. “They spend a little bit more, which is great because they get to see more of the city and do more things.”
The tourism industry is among sectors which faced challenges after the recession hit in late 2008. “We started to see the recovery last year,” Cowen said. “This year, I think it is safe to say that we are back up to 2008 levels, so we are through the downturn in the economy.”
Paul Nursey, Tourism Victoria’s chief executive, said the area’s tourism sector is having a good year, but said there’s more in play than the dollar difference. “There’s a myth out there that Americans just flock here because the loonie drops and that’s not always the case.”
Tourism Victoria’s own survey and information from the Border Policy Research Institute, based in Washington state, found that the number of U.S. visitors doesn’t change that much when the exchange rate is more favourable to Americans. In recent surveys, 68 per cent of Americans said the exchange rate had no impact on their decision to visit Victoria.
U.S. numbers climb “when their economy is good,” Nursey said. Year-to-date research shows that hotel occupancy rates are up 6.9 per cent, compared with the same months in 2014, Nursey said. Average daily room rate is also higher, by about six per cent.
Victoria is benefiting from a global rise in tourism, Nursey said. The region is popular as an attractive, relaxing destination, he said. Its profile has expanded through international media attention.
Nursey said American visitors are spending more. This year, new killer whale calves are fostering extra interest in whale-watching trips.
Kelp Reef Adventures, offering kayak tours at Fisherman’s Wharf, has seen tourism “kick into high gear,” said Alexandra Berg, who handles reservations.
More Americans seem to be showing up as well as visitors from the Prairies, she said. Dan Kukat of SpringTide Whale Watching, said the whale-watching industry has been “robust and very healthy, with good gains in passengers this year over last year.”
Interest in the health and well-being of orcas and their youngsters is one driver for that sector, he said.
Recent hot weather has also helped whale watchers. “The sightings have been phenomenal this year. Some of the best we’ve had in 10 years.”
However, Kukat said Canada’s lagging economy this year is a negative factor, resulting in fewer Alberta visitors.
The number of executive-style, performance-incentive groups is down, he said.
But U.S. visitor numbers have risen, as have numbers from countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom, Kukat said.
