The central Okanagan is facing weeks without tourism during its peak season after British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 premier imposed bans on travel to wildfire zones.
Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC, says the travel restrictions mean many tourism operators in the region are B次元官网网址渢aking a hit,B次元官网网址� though itB次元官网网址檚 too early to quantify the damages.
B次元官网网址淚f you look at the entire 12 months of the year, August is typically the busiest month for visitors,B次元官网网址� he said.
The ban, which was introduced Saturday under the provincial state of emergency, will be in place until Sept. 4 for hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks and campgrounds in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon.
Premier David Eby has said the decision was made to ensure accommodation is available for crews and the 30,000 people who were forced from their homes across B.C.
Realtor Raymun Khunkhun, who has lived in Kelowna for about three decades, said the ban has left streets usually teeming with visitors eerily bare.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 not a lot of people walking around,B次元官网网址� he said in an interview Saturday.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 almost like a ghost town now out here.B次元官网网址�
Nearby wildfires have forced the evacuation of thousands in the city and watercraft rental businesses to close their doors, leaving boats and jet skis sitting idle, bobbing on the water.
The Kelowna International Airport has also been cancelling flights since Friday to ensure aerial firefighting efforts go uninterrupted.
Khunkhun said thereB次元官网网址檚 not much that can be done now other than B次元官网网址減ray for better days.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hese streets are usually packed, like itB次元官网网址檚 hard single-file walking when youB次元官网网址檙e on the sidewalks, and now itB次元官网网址檚 almost a little scary that itB次元官网网址檚 just empty,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淗opefully this doesnB次元官网网址檛 turn into anything worse than it already is.B次元官网网址�
Lisanne Ballantyne, CEO of Tourism Kelowna, said in a statement Sunday that the ban will impact the tourism sector, but the current focus remains on the wildfire response effort.
She encouraged people to listen to evacuation orders and avoid impeding firefighting efforts.
B次元官网网址淲hen able, we will move forward to recovery planning,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e have faced challenging situations before, and while none are the same, we will work through this together, rebuild and also focus on long-term resiliency.B次元官网网址�
Judas agreed, adding the ban comes at a time when businesses were already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, the devastating floods in 2021, and were finally expecting to bounce back.
B次元官网网址淢any businesses are still not fully up to speed and operational after COVID. Many are still carrying a lot of debt and and donB次元官网网址檛 have a full complement of staff,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he industry is taking a big hit once again.B次元官网网址�
He added that projections showed the tourism industryB次元官网网址檚 revenue was on track to be comparable with the 2019 season.
B次元官网网址淭o what degree this will affect overall tourism revenues is difficult to say,B次元官网网址� he said.
In the meantime, Judas said the focus should remain on protecting guests, residents, the community and businesses.
The province said the travel ban does not impact other regions, but is asking people to avoid non-essential travel to the central Interior and southeast to keep roads clear for emergency-response operations and other potential evacuations.
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