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Tourism Indicators

Overview

The tourism industry in Kamloops is growing and playing an increasingly important role in the local economy.  Approximately 9% of the Kamloops labour force is employed in the accommodation, food & beverage industry.

The Rocky Mountaineer Vacations stops in Kamloops three times a weeks during the summer season (April-October) injecting more than $15 million into the local economy.  Kamloops is also a stopover point for bus tour companies en route to both the Lower Mainland and the Rocky Mountains.  To accommodate the growing number of people visiting Kamloops, several major hotel chains have moved to the city over the last five years.  Golfing at Sun Peaks

Sun Peaks Resort, rated one of the top six ski destinations in Canada, continues to expand. With nearly $400 million invested since Japan-based Nippon Cable Ltd. purchased the ski operation in 1992, Sun Peaks has become a year round destination resort offering activities such as skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling in the winter; and hiking, mountain biking and golf in the summer.

International and local developers including Delta Sun Peaks Resort, Stumboek, Intrawest, Nancy Greene and Dansk have built hotel and condominium units. In addition to developing new ski runs and lifts, Sun Peaks has completed the expansion of its exciting and demanding 13 hole golf course.

Two hundred lakes, within a 40-mile radius of downtown Kamloops, draw visitors from around the world because of their established reputation for water sports and fishing.  Golf, mountain biking and hiking are also popular outdoor activities for tourists. Click here for information. Special events such as the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, the classic cars event Hot Night In the City and the Kamloops Pow Wow also draw many visitors to Kamloops.

Known as the Tournament Capital of Canada, Kamloops has hosted world class sporting events such as the 2006 BC Summer Games, Ford World Curling Championships, World Fly-fishing Championships, the 1993 Canada Summer Games, the Labatt Brier Curling Championships, 2005 Tim Hortons Road National Championships and Skate Canada. The annual Kamloops Outdoor Pro Rodeo is held at the Mount Paul Centre. This event was voted amongst cowboys as the number one pro rodeo in Canada.

2006 North American Short Track Speed Skating Championships and Kamloops was one of the host cities for the 2006 World Junior Hockey Championships.

Kamloops Tourism Infoc center - Visitor Statistics

  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Walk-Ins 37,303 42,488 42,683 42,029 43,307 38,367 38,492
Mail/Fax Inquiries 336 454 654 812 706 732 582
Phone Inquiries 10,052 9,578 9,065 8,556 7,666 7,808 6,161
Source: Kamloops Visitor Info Centre

Accommodation

Room Revenue: Kamloops and TNRD

  In thousands of dollars
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
City of Kamloops 33,922 36,967 37,032 37,515 41,533 47,932
Hotels 16,155 19,297 18,902 19,329 22,358 26,274
Motels 12,758 9,999 10,490 10,346 10,848 12,415
 
Thompson Nicola 47,425 51,557 51,678 52,182 56,054 63,035
Fishing Lodges 1,098 1,510 1,540 1,493 1,436 1,434
Hotels 18,524 21,764 21,233 21,619 24,916 28,865
  76+ rooms 13,546 16,958 16,234 16,563 19,282 23,032
  1-75 rooms 4,978 4,806 4,998 5,055 5,633 5,833
Motels 19,108 16,821 17,538 17,434 17,372 19,509
Vacation rentals 5,368 7,339 7,376 7,577 8,186 8,826
Source: B.C. Stats: Tourism Sector Monitor - Annual Room Revenue

Hotel Occupancy Rate - Comparisons

  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Kamloops 52.9% 55.7% 50.7% 47.7% 49.6% 50.7% 51.6%
Kelowna 63.2% 64.1% 60.1% 58.4% 63.5% 61.5% 61.9%
Nanaimo 52.5% 50.0% 53.2% 54.5% 58.6% 57.3% 60.2%
Prince George 61.1% 58.8% 59.5% 57.2% 60.8% 62.1% 75.1%
Greater Vancouver 69.1% 67.5% 65.0% 63.3% 64.1% 61.7% 66.8%

Source: Tourism BC Tourism Indicators November 2004

Conference Facilities

Meetings, conferences, and conventions are sure to be a success in Kamloops and the Thompson-Nicola, all year round.  Superb facilities, unique venues and easy transportation links make us a natural location for local, national and international gatherings.

As BC's Adventure Destination, we offer a host of activities to make your business retreat functional and memorable.

Combine business with a round of golf on one of our 13 golf courses, catch the famous Kamloops Fighting Trout, in one of over 1,000 lakes, or ski at the award winning Sun Peak's Resort.

Strengthen team building skills with the excitement of whitewater rafting, round up 100 head of cattle, or mountain bike any of the area's challenging trails.

Kamloops country brings excellence to your business program.  We've made it easy and convenient to arrange everything you want.

We are easy to get to and impossible to forget.

Kamloops Meeting Planner's Guide

Download our 2007 Meeting Planner's Guide and we'll show you why the Kamloops Region is the perfect location for your next meeting or convention.

This full colour guide is available in the complete 118 page edition, or separately by chapters.  This document is optimized for ink jet printing. Please be sure to use the fit to page option when printing from Adobe Acrobat.

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