Tourism Kelowna collects research data from numerous sources, which helps support and inform our team's work while also allowing us to identify trends and patterns in the local market. Key indicators, including visitation, hotel occupancy, airport passenger numbers, and more, are regularly posted and collected. In the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, most of these indicators showed year-over-year (YOY) increases compared to the first quarter of 2023.
Here are some fast facts for Q1 2024
Hotels in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan performed well in Q1 2024, with YOY increases in all metrics, as noted in the infographic below. Passengers through the Kelowna International Airport (YLW) also saw an increase in the total number of passengers compared to Q1 2023.
Short-term rental indicators have decreased YOY, with room occupancy down 6.6%. We will monitor this closely, given changes in short-term rental legislation from the province and city that came into effect in May and will provide an update mid-summer on Q2 indicators once data has been collected.
You can find additional research data here.
If you have questions about the report, contact me at steve@tourismkelowna.com. Or if you have insights or perspectives from your business, please reach out to the appropriate member of our team, we would love to hear from you.
Additional resources:
- Explore data from communities across BC, including detailed monthly data from Kelowna, via Destination British Columbia’s Tourism Industry Dashboard.
Tourism Kelowna collects and analyzes data from various sources. The data presented in this article represents data Tourism Kelowna has received for Q1 2024, which allows us to report on the data promptly. We anticipate that visitation statistics for Q1 will be compiled and shared by the end of June.