(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
July 12, 2016 - 1:34 PM
KAMLOOPS - Kamloops may be having a good year for tourism, but it isn’t thanks to air travellers in June.
The Kamloops airport saw nearly 1,000 fewer travellers in June 2016 when compared to 2015. That’s a drop to 24,205 from 25,045 in June 2015 to the same month this year.
This is partially due to activities in northern Alberta, according a to press release from manager Fred Legace. The destructive wildfire and continued weak oil and gas sector slowed travel at the end of spring. Legace expects air travel will increase over July as reconstruction efforts in Fort McMurray attract workers.
May was also slow for the airport, and the same reasons were cited.
Despite two slower months in a row, 2016 is still a strong year for the airport. About 5,500 more people have gone through the gates at the airport this year-to-date over the same period in 2015. Alternatively, the airport had 3.4 per cent more air travellers over the first half of the year over the first half of last year. 2015 currently holds the record for most air travellers in Kamloops in a year.
Tourism Kamloops released statistics yesterday showing 2016 has been a big year for the industry overall, after major sporting events brought teams and fans to the Tournament Capital. Hockey Day in Canada in February and the the IIHF Women's World Cup Hockey Championship in March and April were high points.
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