Fireworks and Tourism in Vancouver
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The annual “oohs” and “ahhs” went off without a hitch
Wednesday night at the annual HSBC Celebration of Light.
The fairly-heavy crowds were well-behaved without the violence that has marred
the event in past years, said Vancouver police spokesman Const. Lindsey
Houghton.
“So far, it’s a very family-oriented event,” Houghton said. “The mood has been
exceptionally good I would say compared to other years - everyone is smiling and
having fun.”
Police reported only one fight breaking out among attendees.
In total, police made 220 liquor pours and eight drug seizures. Two people were
arrested for being overly-intoxicated and a knife was seized from an individual.
Tourism Vancouver says the tourism industry will receive a significant boost
over the next two weeks.
The Celebration of Light and the Gay Pride Parade and Festival is expected to
bring in millions of dollars. About 1.4 million people attended last year’s four
nights of fireworks, and 28 per cent were visitors from outside of Vancouver.
Tourists spent $85 million, said Wendy Underwood, spokeswoman for Tourism
Vancouver: “These people spend money at corner stores buying a bottle of water
to spending a couple hundred on a hotel room and dinner.”
She said about 10 per cent of tourists who stop in Vancouver for the fireworks
stay on. Visitors from B.C. stay for about four nights, visitors from outside
the province stay for eight.
This year’s summer of pyrotechnics kicked off last night and continues until
Aug. 1. The parade will crowd the streets the following afternoon, bringing in
millions, the Vancouver Pride Society projects.
An economic impact study on the pride festivities in 2000 showed that nearly
100,000 attendees brought in $30 million to the city.
This year, nearly 600,000 are anticipated to attend, said Caryl Dolinko, VPS
sponsorship co-ordinator.
Underwood said the U.S. gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender market brings in $60
billion annually.
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