High fuel prices hurting Kamloops-area tourism sector

These Edmonton flights were due to operate on Fridays and Mondays until mid-October, with a third flight on Sundays from late June to early September during the peak summer travel season.

“We wanted it to be full capacity as planned and then continue to year-round service but we understand and I think the passengers understand, as well,” Moroz added. “These are things beyond the scope of control that any one of us have.”

“From our conversations with WestJet, July so far is looking promising. We’re always concerned there will be a change but they’ll do a good job of letting passengers know.”

It’s not just the airlines feeling the pinch as high fuel costs are also having an impact on Rocky Mountaineer’s operations in B.C. and Alberta. The luxury train operator told CFJC Today it is managing those pressures across its network.

“We are seeing a direct impact on our current fuel costs, which does create cost pressures for both our operations and our local partners,” Tristan Armstrong, the CEO of Armstrong Collective, which operates Rocky Mountaineer, said in a statement. “Rising fuel costs are impacting our entire supply chain, extending beyond transportation alone.”

Armstrong said the tour company has not introduced fuel surcharges this year, but he added the situation will constantly be evaluated moving forward.

“We are managing these pressures closely,” Armstrong added. “While it may impact our operational cost structures in future seasons, our focus today is entirely on a positive, successful season for our partners, guests and team.”

“We will maintain the right balance between cost management and delivering the world-class, life-changing experiences our guests expect onboard Rocky Mountaineer, while also supporting our valued partners.”

Destination Canada’s spring 2026 tourism outlook noted Canadians are “‘reshoring’ their travel dollars, choosing to explore their own backyard rather than crossing the border.” It noted the residual effect of this reshoring is expected to continue beyond 2027.

The outlook also noted tourism spending in Canada is projected to reach $140.9 billion in 2026, up six per cent from 2025. Total tourism revenue is projected to reach $216.3 billion by 2035.

Figures from Tourism Kamloops show around two million people visit the area each year, leading to about $316 million in direct visitor spending and thousands of local jobs.

At Kamloops Airport, there have been minimal impacts with other more established flights because of these high fuel prices. The Edmonton flight schedule was likely modified as the flight was only in its second year of operations, after last year’s successes.

“They looked at how they can get passengers to where they’re going and where they have routes available that put the least impact on the actual passenger,” Moroz said. “They could reroute people to Kamloops through Calgary so they took that into consideration and made their decisions.”

While 2026 got off to a strong start at YKA, Moroz noted it is hard to predict what this summer’s travel season will end up looking like.

“We’re optimistic,” he added. “People seem to be wanting to fly. There is still demand for that.”

“If you’re looking to fly to Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria or Vancouver, I would say book early. You’re going to see better pricing now and if you are going to have a flight disruption, you have the time to change or the airline has the time to make that change for you.”

by Victor Kaisar

High fuel prices hurting Kamloops-area tourism sector

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