British Columbia has seen an increase in international visitors in 2016, with 11.5 per cent more people visiting from abroad in the first eight months of the year than in the same period in 2015.
Just under four million people travelled to see the province, with 789,000 of them coming in August alone, the most recent month data is available.
The government attributes this growth in tourism to a low Canadian dollar, increased flights from around the world into Vancouver and a new marketing strategy from Destination BC.
“These visits support local businesses and jobs throughout B.C. and are a reason why tourism is helping our economy be an economic leader in 2016,” said Shirley Bond, minister of jobs, tourism and skills training, in a statement.
Visitors from the U.K. in August increased by 32.1 per cent compared to August 2015, and those from Australia increased 28.8 per cent.
This growth builds on the previous year's growth, when international visitors in 2015 grew by eight per cent compared to 2014.