It felt like a return to normal for many at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on Saturday, April 9, when the fifth annual TRUE tourism expo and job fair kicked off at 12 p.m.
A total of 56 local exhibitors set up their own booth to welcome back hundreds of people eager to get involved in upcoming community events after a more than two-year COVID-19 hiatus.
Whether it was for a volunteer or job opportunity, the TRUE Penticton Tourism and Job Fair had a little bit of everything for community members ready to bring in the summer.
“There is a job fair portion to it but people can just come here, learn about businesses and find out about all the things to see and do in Penticton,” said Paige Schultz, member and visitors services manager at Travel Penticton.
All of the exhibitors present at the event on Saturday were categorized within the tourism sector.
“It’s either event-based and places to play, stay, explore, eat and drink,” Schultz added.
Leaders from the upcoming Penticton Elvis Festival, for instance, were able to recruit 25 new volunteers for June’s festivities after only an hour at the event.
Along with introducing themselves to local employers and all that Penticton’s tourism industry has to offer, people in attendance had chances to win prizes and participate in scavenger hunts.
The tourism expo and job fair last took place in 2019, when over 600 people took advantage of the free-admission event.
Schultz told the Western News she expects more of the same when the final attendance numbers are revealed.
The TRUE (Thinking about Remarkable Unique Experiences) event ended at 4 p.m.
READ MORE: ‘4 days to rock’: Elvis Festival coming back to Penticton this June
