Vancouver’s tourism board sounding alarm bells around deficiency of resort ability

If the supply of lodge rooms will not raise, visiting Vancouver could come to be progressively demanding in the coming a long time, in accordance to the city’s tourism board.

A new research introduced Monday by Location Vancouver demonstrates without an maximize of lodge rooms in Metro Vancouver, the provincial financial system could lose out on billions of dollars about the future couple of many years.

In accordance to the details, to shut the hole involving source and need, 20,000 rooms are wanted in Metro Vancouver by 2050, with 10,000 of people rooms needed in the City of Vancouver by itself. 

The review, titled Economic Investigation of Lodge Supply and Projected Desire in Metro Vancouver, 2023 to 2050, claims the financial effect of not setting up all those rooms between now and 2050 is projected to be in excess of $30 billion in foregone output and $16 billion in foregone GDP. 

All three ranges of authorities would also drop out on an believed $7.5 billion in prospective tax profits. 

In the City of Vancouver, desire for rooms is anticipated to exceed offer in the summer months months of 2026. The relaxation of Metro Vancouver will be limited by summer time 2028, and by 2040, the research demonstrates calendar year-spherical shortages throughout the complete area.

“Metro Vancouver’s infrastructure is not preserving up in offering on our world profile,” mentioned Royce Chwin, Place Vancouver’s president and CEO, in a published assertion.

“This is crucial due to the fact on our doorstep more than the upcoming few decades are tennis’s Laver Cup, the Invictus Game titles, up coming year’s Gray Cup, and in 2026 we’re a Host Metropolis for the world’s most significant solitary sporting activities occasion, the FIFA World Cup.”

Not a shock to tourism minister

The lack of rooms did not appear as a surprise to B.C. Tourism Minister Lana Popham.

She explained Monday she is “quite knowledgeable” of the trouble, and it was a single of the initially discussions she had with her federal counterpart following acquiring her portfolio in December.

“I really don’t believe there is a fast correct.”

The minister claimed the federal govt, Very first Nations and metropolis leaders require to arrive jointly to function out a approach for the long term, primarily with Vancouver FIFA Globe Cup coming in the summertime of 2026.

Granville revitalization a potential alternative

City council states incorporating offer will take time, but believes a revitalized Granville Entertainment District in downtown Vancouver could be part of the alternative.

The Broadway System has also opened the door for additional resorts along the Broadway Corridor with hopes they could take pressure off the use of Airbnbs.

“What you want to do is continue to keep that area housing inventory for locals,” Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung explained. “In a quite restricted marketplace, you never want to see people renting it out for Airbnb.”

About 1,100 lodge rooms are in the city’s enhancement pipeline, but there are no ensures they will be all set for international crowds anticipated to arrive in 2026.