Whistler, British Columbia Whistler, British Columbia Whistler (Squamish language: Sḵwiḵw) is a resort municipality in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver and south of the town of Pemberton. Incorporated as the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), it has a permanent population of approximately 11,854, plus a larger but rotating population of seasonal workers, typically younger people from beyond British Columbia, notably from Australia and Europe. Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and snowboarding and, in summer, mountain biking at Whistler Blackcomb. Its pedestrian village has
Resort town economy, with most residents of the area working in the tourism or resort industry. Shops and luxury boutiques selling locally themed souvenirs, motels, and unique restaurants often proliferate the downtown areas of a resort town. In the case of the United States, resort towns were created around the late 1800s and early 1900s with the development of early town-making. Consistent, however, throughout many resort towns includes elements of ambitious architecture, romanticizing a location, and dependence on cheap labor. If the resorts or tourist attractions are seasonal in nature (such as a ski resort), resort towns typically experience an "on-season" where