The world is beating a path to B.C., including the North Okanagan.
Between January and April, 1,172,637 visitors came to B.C. or an 18.2 per cent increase over the same period in 2015.
“It’s pretty significant growth,” said Greg Kyllo, Shuswap MLA and parliamentary secretary for the B.C. Jobs Plan.
“If this trend continues we will set a record this year for international visitors.”
Visitors from a number of specific markets soared in April, including Germany by 33.4 per cent, China 32.9 per cent, South Korea 31.9 per cent, Mexico 28 per cent, Australia by 26.4 per cent and the the U.S. up by 22.1 per cent.
The increase from China, South Korea and Mexico is partly due to expanded flights to Vancouver while the low Canadian dollar is leading Americans to get into their vehicles and cross the border.
Kyllo says that many of the tourists are going beyond Vancouver and discovering the rest of B.C., including the North Okanagan-Shuswap.
“Business across the province is experiencing records in international business.”