Tourism
The tourism industry is vital to Vancouver. Tourism Vancouver is currently the official destination marketing organization and as such is the official resource for visitors to the Metro Vancouver. Vancouver is a major tourist destination. In addition to the city's scenic location, visitors frequent the many gardens and Stanley Park, one of more than 180 city parks, and a combination of natural forest and parklands near the city centre.
The Whistler-Blackcomb Resort, 126 kilometres north of Vancouver, is among the most popular skiing resorts in North America, and was the site of the downhill events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour, and Cypress Mountain, each with a variety of summer and winter leisure activities, are within a 30 km drive of downtown and all have bird's-eye views of the city and the surrounding region. Vancouver's numerous beaches, parks, waterfronts, and mountain backdrops, combined with its cultural and multi-ethnic character, all contribute to its unique appeal and style. Over a million people annually pass through Vancouver en route to a cruise ship vacation, usually to Alaska.
Also of note, the 1986 World Exposition was held in Vancouver.
Read more about this topic: Economy Of Vancouver
Famous quotes containing the word tourism:
“In the middle ages people were tourists because of their religion, whereas now they are tourists because tourism is their religion.”
—Robert Runcie (b. 1921)