Tourism is down in B.C. and across the country for the first time since the SARS scare of 2003.
In Vancouver, the number of tourists coming to see the sights is down by five per cent, and the ones who do come are spending less.
"This is driven not only a bit by fear but driven by the fact that people have less money," said Paul Vallee of Tourism Vancouver.
"The U.S. economy, though being the one that's hardest hit, is the one we're most concerned about."
Granville Island Brewery sells a lot of beer to tourists, and according to Walter Cosman, the brewery's general manager, sales are down.
"In your hotel lounges, in your hotel bars, there just aren't as many tourists in those hotels as there normally is," he said.
The belugas at the Vancouver Aquarium stopped seeing as many foreigners when visits began to drop off last year.
"With the economic situation, it obviously accelerated last fall," said John Nightingale, the aquarium's president.
But the good news is that Canadians are spending more in their hometowns, especially at restaurants and attractions.
To that end, ticket sales are up at the aquarium because locals are going.
"All of our activities, educational programs, all of our sleepovers are sold out until summer," said Nightingale.
And since locals are enjoying a brew at home, Cosman says they are still selling a lot of six-packs.
"Beer has always been the beverage of the people, so as a beverage of the people, it's still affordable," he said.
This is just as well because officials are not expecting an improvement in foreign visitors until 2010.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's St. John Alexander
