The summertime is when the Okanagan tends to come alive.
But this year, it seems tourists have been taking their time getting here.
“We did have a sluggish spring due to the weather primarily,” said Catherine Frechette with Tourism Kelowna.
Frechette says 1.2 million visitors come through Kelowna every year, but a crisp spring meant the tourism industry took a bit of a hit.
She says the city had cooler spring weather and people tend not to travel when it is cool and rainy.
Local businesses, like Fresh Healthy Café, say they felt the impact.
“There were more tourists last year than this year at this time,” said owner Joanne West. “We’re just now starting to see the tourists coming in.”
Likewise, Bear Creek Park in West Kelowna normally sees lots of visitors from outside the province.
But Park Manager Rob Shears says up until very recently, it had been used primarily by local residents and tourists are only just starting to arrive.
Frechette says she is optimistic about the summer tourist season in Kelowna.
“The summer is looking great,” she said. “Summer is definitely that quintessential family getaway for Kelowna. Now school is out, families are looking to travel and Kelowna is very well situated.”
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