While politically noteworthy, recent moves by the Indian government to restrict and dissuade travel to and from Canada isn’t likely going to take much of a bite out of BC’s tourism sector.

Walt Judas, the CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC, says despite Canada – and in particular B.C. – playing host to the largest population of Sikh’s outside of India, International travellers arriving from India to the province are somewhat minimal.

“We see between one and three per cent of visitors from India in any given year,” Judas said. “Most of them are here to visit friends or family or they’re students.”

“It is not a big leisure market for us by any stretch and at present there is no direct lift from Vancouver to India other that through Air India.”

Air India still operates one flight a day between Vancouver and New Delhi.

Judas notes that Air Canada had already stopped flights to and from India from Vancouver, as the flight path requires going over Russian air-space, which Canadian airlines now avoid.

“Traditional carriers like Air Canada no longer service the market from British Columbia,” he said. “People travelling here using Air Canada would need to come via Toronto or Montreal.”

At the same time, Judas notes Canadian travel promotion in India is minimal, as neither Destination B.C. or Destination Canada are currently active there.