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Kelowna Tourism is an important sector of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) economy.
The Central Okanagan (RDCO) is a destination and travel-through place
for many tourists. The Okanagan is a four-season playground area because of the
year round facilities and attractions. The warm, 
dry climate, good swimming and boating, beautiful scenery, and an abundance
of fresh fruit draw people in season and a wide range of tourism facilities.
There is also good fishing and hunting. Big White Mountain, just east of
Kelowna, is one of the three main ski resorts in the valley.
The Coquihalla Highway has made it possible to travel to the Lower Mainland in 3 ½ hours. The
Kelowna International Airport has direct flights to and from the Pacific Northwest and will be
experiencing a $20 million expansion during the next six years. This expansion makes it the
second fastest growing airport in North America and allows for increased tourist traffic flow.
Facts on Kelowna Tourism
Tourism generates approximately $835 Million in the Okanagan Valley annually. The Okanagan is ranked third in the province in terms of the value of tourism revenue generated annually. The average visitor spends 3.9 days in Kelowna and spends approximately $95.47 per day on accommodation, food entertainment, transportation and other costs. 53% of visitors come to Kelowna in the summer; 20% visit in the autumn, 18% in the spring and 10% in the winter. 96% of visitors surveyed said they would return to Kelowna, 51% of those within one year, and the remaining 49% within five years. The Convention/Meetings/Tournaments market has tripled in size in the past eight years. Completion of Kelowna's multi purpose facility in 1999 has provided further incentive for this market to come to Kelowna and the Central Okanagan (RDCO).
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