Airport records smashed
Sam Samaddar knew records were possible. But the director of Kelowna International Airport was still surprised by the final numbers.
Last year, 1,893,470 passengers arrived and departed at the airport, breaking the 2016 record of 1.7 million by 9.3 per cent.
The 179,153 passengers who flew in and out of the airport in August made that month the busiest ever, breaking the previous monthly records set in March.
Christmas traffic helped make the last month of 2017 become the busiest December ever with 177,131 passengers, surpassing the 166,537 of December 2016.
“These numbers certainly exceed our projections,” said Samaddar.
“It’s great news. The increase in travellers translates directly to boost the reginal economy with an increase in tourism and support for local businesses.”
Kelowna airport has been on an upward trajectory for three decades.
Back in the 1980s, annual passenger counts were in the 350,000-range as the airport offered little more than flights to Vancouver and Calgary and some seasonal charters to Toronto and the second-rate gambling destination of Reno.
A turning point for the airport came in 1996 when WestJet starting flying in and out of Kelowna with discount fares.
The increased competition combined with the city’s booming economy made Kelowna airport a regional facility, attracting passengers from throughout the Southern Interior.
The Okanagan’s growing reputation as a ski destination also attracted fliers.
The momentum attracted more airlines to offer more non-stops to more destinations.
Currently, the airport sees about 66 flights a day depart and arrive.
WestJet, Air Canada, Alaska, Flair, Pacific Coastal, Central Mountain Air and Air North have regularly scheduled yearround service to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Toronto, Seattle, Prince George, Cranbrook and Whitehorse.
There’s also seasonal scheduled and charter flights to Varadero, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, Phoenix and Winnipeg with Sunwing, Air Transat and WestJet.
Ski vacation home
New-to-Kelowna realty office Engel & Volkers is starting to focus on the Okanagan ski vacation home market.
“We really are spoiled in the Okanagan,” said Engel & Volkers realtor Richard Deacon.
“The ease of access we have to major ski hills is rare in the world.”
Since the Engel & Volkers office opened in Kelowna in April, Deacon has been concentrating on listing and selling high-end view, estate and waterfront homes.
But, with the ski season here, he sees great potential at Big White Resort near Kelowna and Silver Star Resort near Vernon.
“Engel and Volkers is a Germany company, so it knows the ski market in Europe,” said Deacon.
“But now that we have 30 offices across Canada, including Kelowna, ski is becoming a focus for us going forward here too.”
Deacon considers Okanagan ski vacation homes affordable and a good investment.
“You can buy a nice twobedroom condominium at Big White or Silver Star for $250,000 and use it yourself as well as rent it out when you aren’t to help cover the mortgage and strata fees,” he said.
“You won’t get anything at Whistler for $250,000.”
Deacon considers the $500,000 price point as the start of luxury at Big White and Silver Star because it can snag you a big, high-end condo, townhouse or maybe even a chalet.
Best instant game
In just a month, more than three million people around the world installed Kelowna-developed video game AdVenture Capitalist on Facebook Instant.
Such activity led Facebook to name Capitalist, a product of Hyper Hippo Productions, Instant Game of the Year.
The game is also available as a free app, but with Facebook Instant, no app download is required.
Hyper Hippo predicts Facebook Instant will be the fastestgrowing game platform this year. Hyper also developed the AdVenture Communist game.
Both are what’s called idle games that you can play just a couple of minutes at a time, yet it continues to evolve while you’re away from it.
Aboriginal best
Prime Quality Construction in Coldstream is the B.C. Aboriginal Business Awards’ business of the year in the 10-or-more-employees category.
Prime makes steel-framed buildings for the commercial, lumber, mining and oil and gas sectors.
Hiring incentives
Kelowna-based Bowman Employment wants Okanagan companies to know they can receive a $2,800 hiring incentive and $1,000 for training if they take on a qualifying youth.