Tourism Penticton has a new campaign running, focusing on cycling throughout the region.
Cycling has been increasingly in City Hall’s focus since 2012, when city council began lobbying the province to create a South Okanagan cycling precinct, focusing on the wide range of opportunities, both on and off road in the region.
Since 2010, Penticton has also hosted the Prospera Axel Merckxx Okanagan Granfondo, with their longest distance winding through 160 kilometres of the South Okanagan.
For off road enthusiasts, there is the Three Blind Mice Trail Network, maintained by the Penticton and Area Cycling Association. Chain of Events tries to bring it all together.
“We identified that cycling in Penticton is at a premium in the early part of the spring, so we really wanted to start telling people about that,” said Kelly Hopkins, executive director of Tourism Penticton. Chain of Events is a partnership with Destination BC, Tourism Summerland and Discover Naramata, highlighting all the events, tours and cycling offerings in the area through May and June.
The Okanagan climate has the advantage of an early cycling season and the concept is to take advantage of that, promoting the valley as a destination for cycling enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.
Over the next three years, organizers hope to turn the concept into an ongoing campaign, boosting visitor numbers in the shoulder seasons.
Hopkins said they hope to increase the presence of Chain of Events, adding more signature events as the campaign grows.
The website for the campaign, visitpenticton.com/event/chain-of-events, already has a long list of cycling events ranging from a Naramata vineyards tour to the extreme Giant’s Head Grind in Summerland.
“This is a great opportunity to tie in our sports tourism and events during that time,” said Hopkins. “It is such a wonderful opportunity to highlight all the things going on here.”