Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people (visitors) to places outside their usual environment or residence for personal or business/professional purposes.
How visitor $$$ flow through a community:
Tourism in Fernie by the Numbers
- $177+ million in annual visitor spending
- $309 spend per visitor per day
- $1.2 million collected from visitors via Hotel Tax annually
- 135+ businesses that directly rely on tourism. Hundreds more indirectly.
- 93% of local businesses surveyed by the Chamber agree that tourism holds the greatest economic growth potential for the area.
- 572,000 annual visitors (overnight and day trippers)
- 3 nights average length of stay
- 20% International visitors
Tourism is an export industry bringing in outside or new dollars into a community:
- Visitors spend money on accommodations, dining, activities, attractions, visitor services, retail, groceries, transportation and more.
- The money spent by visitors supports local jobs and earnings whether for front-line staff, supervisors, managers or business owners. Those earnings/wages pay local rent, property taxes, mortgages, groceries, clothing, entertainment, activities and much more. The money is circulated multiple times within the community. Residential and commercial property taxes paid by tourism employees and businesses help fund public services, parks, facilities, water and sewer, and roads.
- Tourism spending helps to shift wealth from urban to rural areas with city dwellers visiting small towns.
- A thriving visitor economy supports economic diversification by supporting towns against potential downturns in traditional single-industry sectors like logging and mining.
- Tourism helps build attractive and livable communities and supports investment in Fernie’s culture, heritage, food and beverage industry, shops, trails, recreation opportunities, and the environment as they are essential for a successful tourism economy.
- Tourism creates a platform for positive economic development by positioning Fernie as a great place to live, work, play and invest.
- Sustainability of the tourism industry relies on addressing opportunities and challenges. Opportunities include economic development, transportation, attractions and indoor facilities. Challenges include labour shortages, housing supply, cost of living, economic leakage, and strain on local capacity, infrastructure and the environment. Tourism Fernie has been working in partnership with key community stakeholders on both since the development of Fernie’s Tourism Master Plan in 2020.
Tourism in BC
In 2024, the tourism industry’s contributions were above those of all other primary resource industries in BC.
BC’s visitor economy enriches all our lives by contributing to our collective social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being. 2024 value of tourism data, released in February 2026, demonstrates the economic powerhouse that is tourism in British Columbia.
Key Tourism Fernie Initiative & Projects
- Marketing, promotions and visitor information to attract overnight stays and spending in Fernie
- Assuming responsibility of the Fernie Visitor Centre and future vision of facility
- Securing land and planning for future recreation and sports complex
- Fernie & Elk Valley Trails Master Plan Project
- New economic development partnership with the Fernie Chamber of Commerce and City of Fernie
- Elk River Access Improvements Initiative
- AmbassadorWILD sustainable tourism program years 5-10
- New Paleo Trail BC learning tourism experience
- Fernistoke Ski Shuttle program
- Trails data program and Heiko’s wildlife data program