The Fairfield by Marriott has bounced back with 60 per cent occupancy on average in July (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

KAMLOOPS TOURISM

Kamloops hotels slowly seeing more visitors, but occupancy down half of normal summer numbers

Aug 7, 2020 | 4:11 PM

KAMLOOPS — While more people are staying at Kamloops hotels, the overall numbers are down. The industry is still recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic with much less travel.

“Normally at this point in the year, we get 50 per cent B.C. and maybe 18 per cent Alberta, and the rest are international,” said Kamloops Best Western GM Tim Rodgers. “That other half is just not there.”

Some hotels like the Fairfield by Marriott have managed 60 per cent occupancy, which equates to about 65 rooms sold. Normally during the summer, the Fairfield, as well as many other hotels in Kamloops, would be closer to 90 per cent.

However, given how bleak the year was looking in March when the pandemic started, many are pleasantly surprised with the numbers.

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“It’s gotten busier as you go week to week,” said Fairfield by Marriott GM Steve Earl. “I think when the province announced that people should get out and experience B.C. and travel around B.C., we definitely saw an uptick at that point. So we’re better than we though we’d be, but of course we were not where we would normally be.”

Not only are occupancy rates down, but room rates are low as well with less demand.

“My rates are about 20 per cent lower than they were last year because otherwise I’m overpriced compared to everyone else,” said Rodgers. “But it’s also Vancouver. Vancouver’s down $200 a night, so I can’t charge as much as they are.”

Kamloops is behind some popular Okanagan destinations like Penticton and Osoyoos, which are experiencing the usual 90 per cent occupancy seen during the summer. People’s stays there are also longer.

“We definitely don’t have the Okanagan Lake scenario where people book one-week stays in Kamloops,” said CEO of Tourism Kamloops Beverely DeSantis. “But we do have our mountain biking and our hiking. We are finding our overnight stays are lengthening a little, but nothing like in the Okanagan.”

According to numbers published in the Canadian Hotel Review, the Thompson-Okanagan is rebounding well compared to the rest of the country. Occupancy rates across the region, mostly in the south Okanagan, were at 66 per cent in July. On average, hotels across Canada are running at 30 per cent.

Hotels in Kamloops, averaging about 40 per cent on the whole, hope the numbers keep rising as people explore more of the province. The industry is already out millions with the steep downturn.

“It is still devastating to the industry. $2.5 to $3 million of revenue that the hotels are not going to get this month,” noted Rodgers. “They’re not going to be able to pay their bills this fall, so there’s going to be some challenges if we don’t see a continuation of growth for the next three, four months.”