Victoria tourism industry struggles as travel spending drops
Staff at Victoria Carriage Tours, a horse-drawn carriage company stationed beside the B.C. legislature, say business hasn’t been as brisk as past summers.
“It’s been less busy this summer, compared to past,” said Lucy, an employee signing up customers Thursday. “A lot of business we get is from cruise ship passengers.”
Michael Hill is a jewelry merchant in the Inner Harbour, another traditional hotbed for visitors. He says sales are slower than usual this summer.
“I’ve noticed people spending a little bit less money,” said Hill “I've just started seeing the families out, so the families weren't travelling much in June.”
A new poll released Thursday by Nanos Research shows that more Canadians are planning to spend less on summer travel this year, or are putting vacation plans on hold altogether.
The poll indicates 38 per cent of those surveyed are more likely to spend less this summer on travel. That figure is up from the 31 per cent of Canadians surveyed in 2015 who said they planned to spend less on travel.
Paul Nursey is the head of Destination Greater Victoria. He says the tourism industry in the capital is still likely on pace to match its strong performance in 2022, but it won't exceed that.
“The first half of this year was very strong, but we are seeing some softening,” said Nursey Thursday. “Households are starting to see higher mortgage rates, those types of things.”
Trips abroad are also taking a hit. Fifty-seven per cent of those surveyed aren’t interested in travelling internationally this summer, meaning the tourism industry now hopes locals will make up the difference through staycations or local domestic travel as all Canadians contend with inflation and interest rate hikes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Trudeau must more publicly support ICC decisions amid Israel-Hamas war: ex-ministers
A group of prominent former politicians and current academics is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to change his tone on the possibility of arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
Police clear intersection of pro-Palestinian protesters on UBC campus
Police cleared pro-Palestinian protesters from a main intersection at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver on Wednesday.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing plan defeated in House of Commons
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing bill has been defeated in the House of Commons with the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois voting against the legislation.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.