Tourism continues to be a vital part of Kelowna and area’s economy, lifestyle, and community identity. The 2024 Resident Perceptions of Tourism Survey, conducted in collaboration with Destination BC, provides valuable insights into how locals view tourism’s impact in their communities. The snapshot of what Central Okanagan residents think about tourism presented below is compiled from data in the Central OkanaganPDF File report. The KelownaPDF File resident perceptions of tourism report, overall, has very similar sentiment with slight variations in the statistics.


Strong Economic Appreciation

Residents in and around Kelowna widely recognize the economic benefits of tourism, with 79.7% agreeing that visitors positively contribute to the local economy. This aligns closely with broader sentiments in the Thompson Okanagan region and across British Columbia, reinforcing the importance of tourism in supporting local businesses, jobs, and infrastructure in the Central Okanagan.


Tourism’s Impact on Quality of Life

Beyond economics, 74.9% of residents feel that tourism positively contributes to their quality of life. This reflects an appreciation for the vibrancy tourism brings, from supporting cultural events and local businesses to enhancing recreational opportunities. However, ensuring that tourism growth remains in harmony with community interests will be key to maintaining this positive sentiment.


Seasonal Tourism Balance

Residents have varying views on whether Kelowna and area experiences the right amount of tourism across seasons:

  • 36.7% say there’s too little tourism in winter (Dec–Feb), suggesting opportunities for further off-season promotion.
  • Just over 70% believe that spring (Mar–May) and fall (Sep–Nov) have the right amount of tourism, reinforcing that these seasons still have room to grow with sustainable tourism initiatives.
  • About one third of respondents (31.5%) think summer (Jun–Aug) has the right amount of tourism, while just under two thirds (63.1%) think the season has too much tourism. 


Impact Perceptions Across Key Areas

Survey respondents rated tourism’s impact across six key areas: economic, environmental, social/cultural, job/career, and Indigenous tourism awareness. On a five-point scale, Central Okanagan residents gave the highest ratings to social/cultural, economic, and Indigenous impacts, reflecting overall positivity. Lower scores in job/career impacts and environmental highlight areas where improvements could strengthen public perception.


Resident Attitudes Toward Tourism

The survey identifies distinct resident attitudes toward tourism across six segments:

  1. Tourism Ambassadors
  2. Tourism Supporters
  3. PIECEs (People Interested in Economic and Community Excellence)
  4. Neutrals
  5. PACTEDs (People Against Careers in Tourism and Environmental Degradation)
  6. and Tourism Adversaries.

For the Central Okanagan, a combined 37% of residents fell in the Ambassadors and Supporters groups, whereby they view tourism's impact across all categories positively and are strong advocates for the industry.

Just over 20% of those surveyed fell into the Neutral segment, while the PIECEs and PACTEDs segments comprised about one third of respondents, at 15.2% and 18.1% respectively.

Only 9.2% of residents surveyed fell into the Adversaries segment.


What This Means for the Central Okanagan's Tourism Industry

  1. Continue Showcasing Economic and Lifestyle Benefits
    • The strong economic support suggests industry efforts should keep highlighting tourism’s role in job creation, local business success, and infrastructure investment.
  2. Strengthen Impact Perceptions in the Environmental and Job/Career Key Areas
    • Sustainability initiatives, such as waste reduction and carbon footprint minimization, could improve perceptions of tourism’s environmental impact.
    • Expanding career development and fair wage discussions within the tourism sector could help shift public opinion on job-related impacts.
  3. Leverage Seasonal Opportunities
    • Winter presents an opportunity for increased tourism promotion, particularly in outdoor recreation, culinary, and wellness experiences.
  4. Engage with All Resident Segments
    • Strengthening outreach to Neutrals and PIECEs can expand tourism’s support base, while targeted communication and sustainable practices can help address concerns among PACTEDs and Adversaries.


Moving Forward

The 2024 survey results reaffirm that Kelowna and area residents value tourism’s contributions; they also identify areas that could be strengthened. As the industry looks ahead, fostering sustainable growth, enhancing career opportunities, and furthering environmental initiatives will be essential in maintaining strong community support for tourism in our region.

For more detailed findings, visit Destination BC’s Resident Research.