Big White Ski Resort

Ski resorts in the Thompson-Okanagan region are seeing more American tourist this season thanks, in party, to a significant drop in the value of the Canadian dollar compared to its U.S. counterpart.

An American dollar is worth roughly $1.44 Canadian as of Jan. 8, and that's an attractive exchange rate for skiers and boarders in the U.S.

“We have snow and it's cheaper to go to Canada than it is to go to a big resort in America,” Big White Ski Resort senior vice president Michael J. Ballingall told iNFOnews.ca. “When you compare us to Aspen or Steamboat or Sun Valley or any of these places that the Americans traditionally go for a five or seven day holiday, it's way cheaper to come to Canada.”

There were 52 per cent more American tourists at Big White this holiday season compared to last year. Ballingall credits the 150 centimetre alpine snow base and favourable exchange rate for the upturn. 

READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: Families find snow on the mountains in Kamloops, Okanagan

“Everything that goes along with tourism and the economy is doing really well in the mountains because we have snow. This could be a totally different picture if we didn't have snow,” he said.

Ballingall said good ski conditions are the reason why the devalued loonie has a silver lining in the tourism industry that helps the local economy more broadly.

“It's not just Big White that's successful right now. It's SilverStar and Sun Peaks and Apex and Baldy and we're all doing better. So we're all buying more groceries. We're all buying more wine, more visits to the gas station,” he said.

Ballingall said this economic cycle isn’t new, and with more flights into the Okanagan than ever before the tourism industry is in a better position to help the local economy than in the past.

“We've been through this cycle before in the 80s and the early 90s. The Okanagan now has a lot more to offer. Our brand is known better. Canada is still a great place to come and visit,” he said. “The Okanagan is very well known for a reason. I don't doubt that we will continue to do well.”

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