FILE PHOTO
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
February 19, 2016 - 2:30 PM
KAMLOOPS - Fulton Field saw a lot of air travellers in January.
Kamloops Airport manager Fred Legace says they had over 31,000 passengers last month, up 3,000 compared to January 2015.
The low Canadian dollar makes Kamloops a more enticing destination for most travelling demographics, he says. Americans see Canada as a good deal, while Canadians wanting a vacation are less likely to go south to travel.
Legace says a lot more Australian and New Zealanders are headed to Sun Peaks Resort with the Canadian dollar almost on par with the currency in those countries.
The Hockey Day in Canada event also helped bump up numbers at the airport.
“Events like that will generate a number of people,” he says. He also expects a boost from the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championships which begin at the end of March.
With the hockey tournament and a good ski season, the strong numbers at the airport are likely to continue for a couple of months, he says.
Last year was a record setting one for the Kamloops airport, and while 2016 is starting well, Legace doesn’t want to make predictions.
“Its been quick off the mark,” he says. “We’re above our plan. We expected minimal increases.”
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin at bkergin@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016