Flat year for hotels

Photo: Colin Dacre

For the first time since at least 2010, hotel/motel bookings in Penticton were flat in 2017 when compared to the previous year.

Data collected by the provincial government through the local hotel tax show $29.4M in room revenues last year. That's down slightly from 2016’s $29.5M total.

The dip comes after significant growth in previous years — 7.6 per cent in 2016 and 11.3 per cent in 2015.

Flooding and the elevated level of Okanagan Lake in the spring, along with smoke from wildfires raging across B.C. later in the summer have been attributed to the slow down in tourism.

Other communities throughout the Okanagan experienced similarly flat years.

Osoyoos saw $21.3M in bookings, down from 21.7M in 2016.

Kelowna generated $98M in room revenues, up slightly from $97.9M.

Vernon also saw negligible growth, up to $35.4M from $35M.