BC’s tourism industry last year experience record-setting numbers and the trend is expected to continue heading into the summer season.
According figures from 2016 Penticton generated well over 1.5 million visitors who experienced everything from wine tasting to mountain biking to just sunny on the beaches and tubing down the Okanagan River Channel.
That represented an estimated economic impact for the city of $116 million.
It’s for that reason the Penticton will be joining other cities, communities and regions throughout the province and country taking part in National Tourism Week which runs from May 28 to June 3.
Our community has enjoyed another banner year. Penticton is home to more than 700 tourism businesses that offer authentic, remarkable experiences,” said Thom Tischik, executive director of Travel Penticton in a news release. “Tourism is a critical piece of our economy and supports social, cultural and recreational benefits for all citizens.”
He added that in 2015 tourism contributed more to the gross domestic product than any other primary resource industry including oil and gas extraction, mining, forestry and logging.
Operators and communities around BC are sharing their Tourism Week celebrations on social media using the hashtag #BCTourismMatters.