Tourism Kamloops says 1.85 million people visited the city in 2018 (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

TOURISM GROWTH

Diversity of visitors helping Kamloops grow tourism numbers

May 29, 2019 | 9:56 AM

KAMLOOPS — Tourism Kamloops is boasting yet another increase in the number of people choosing the Tournament Capital to take their holidays, the third year in a row it’s seen growth.

It’s not only athletes and their families coming to the city, more business and leisure travellers are visiting as well. In all, Kamloops experienced 1.85 million visitors last year, half a million more people than in 2017. It all resulted in half a billion dollars in economic spin-offs for the city.

Events like the 2018 B.C. Winter Games helped bolster the numbers.

“There are always activities here and we’re hopefully going to be getting a few more here over the next year or two,” said executive director of Tourism Kamloops Beverley DeSantis.

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The demographics, too, are shifting, and those in the tourism industry have noticed more diversity in who is visiting.

Tyson Andrykew, the President of the Kamloops Accomodation Association, says it’s no longer just the big events bringing people here.

“It’s the rising tide overall, right. As there’s more business activity, and as there’s more activity in general in the city, that’s when hotels really have that continual growth,” noted Andrykew. “I think that’s what we’ve been seeing for the last number of years.”

Andrykew says it’s important to look beyond the Tournament Capital of Canada.

“I think it’s absolutely critical we have that better range of different business,” he said. “It’s not all eggs in the tournamental basket. There’s a variety of other things that are happening here. We’ve got great access to rail travel, the airport travel is continuing to improve.”

As an example of the growing numbers, Tourism Kamloops took over marketing from the Kamloops Golf Association at the end of 2018, and the results have proven to be significant.

“Going from $36,000 in golf revenue in 2018 to just to the end of April this year up over $150,000,” said DeSantis. “And rounds of golf are up from 105 to 290.”

The plan is for Tourism Kamloops to help to the Kamloops Wineries Association with its marketing efforts. The hope is to boost activity for local wineries, as it has for golf courses.