Adventure quarrel heats up
Aconsortium of downtown adventure companies is fighting mad at Tourism Kelowna. “Tourism Kelowna has the power now to completely wipe out my company’s profit,” said Luke Weller of Ogopogo Parasail and Jetboat Adventures.
“I’m extremely disappointed. I not going to give up on this fight.”
At issue is the fact Tourism Kelowna is going to start selling tickets for activities online and at the new visitor information centre when it opens this summer on the downtown waterfront.
Just 50 metres south of that site is the Downtown Marina kiosk that sells tickets to on-site activities, the aforementioned Ogopogo Parasail and Jetboat Adventures, Downtown Marina’s boat and jetski rentals, Kelowna Flyboard, Kelowna Cruises, Luxury Lake Tours and Maeg’s BBQ Boats.
Since 50 per cent of those seven businesses’ sales comes from walk-up traffic to the kiosk, the attractions stand to lose a big chunk of that to Tourism Kelowna’s new ticket service.
“I pay a premium to have my boats right here in the water at the Downtown Marina and to sell tickets at the on-site kiosk,” said Weller.
“Sure, Tourism Kelowna says it will sell tickets for me, but I’ll have to pay a commission. However, they will also sell tickets for every attraction in Kelowna, effectively giving every attraction the same prime waterfront location that I pay a premium for. It’s unfair and puts Tourism Kelowna in direct competition with us, its members.” OkanaganAdventures.com is also upset. It sells tickets online for various adventure companies.
“It will put Tourism Kelowna in 100 per cent direct competition with me. It would hurt me, the very member they are supposed to be helping,” said owner Ayn Lexi.
The consortium wanted to meet Tourism Kelowna’s board of directors.
However, Tourism Kelowna said a meeting wasn’t necessary because it was going ahead with the ticket booking service.
Weller has since heard from Tourism Kelowna chairman Thom Killingsworth that he’s willing to meet him.
In a statement, Tourism Kelowna said: “(We) will continue to offer visitors and residents the opportunity to book or purchase tickets for any local tourist attractions that want to take advantage of a centralized system.”
Quality Greens downsizing
It wasn’t one, single thing that led to the closure of the Quality Greens store in West Kelowna, but rather a combination of damaging factors.
In a letter to customers on the QualityGreens.com website, owners Chris Holmes and Lisa TaylorHolmes the store closure as a “very difficult, but right decision.”
After 18 years in West Kelowna, the store closed its doors forever yesterday.
There are still Quality Greens markets in Kelowna on Spall Road, Kelowna on Lakeshore Road, Penticton and Vernon, as well as a warehouse that supplies restaurants.
Holmes and Taylor-Holmes cited increased competition from online grocery shopping with home delivery and pick up options, increased provincial taxes and levies on small business and a hard time finding and keeping employees.
West Kelowna shoppers with Quality Greens points or gift cards can use them at any of the other four locations.
“We hope West Kelowna customers will visit us across the bridge at our Spall and Lakeshore locations in Kelowna or on your travels in Vernon or Penticton,” summed up the letter.
New Dragons
Kelowna’s Lane Merrifield, one of three men who sold Club Penguin to Disney for $350 million, is now a Dragon.
Merrifield has joined the CBC-TV hit show Dragons Den to hear pitches from businesspeople seeking funding and advice.
Season 13 episodes featuring Merrifield, and other new Dragon Vincenzo Guzzo, will start airing this fall.
Merrifield and Guzzo, the president of the movie theatre chain Cinemas Guzzo in Quebec, replace departing Dragons Michael Wekerle, a financier, and fashion icon Joe Mimran.
Since leaving Club Penguin, Merrifield started Fresh Grade, an educational platform used by 80 per cent of school boards in B.C., founded tech venture capital firm Wheelhouse and was integral is having the Okanagan Centre for Innovation office building built in downtown Kelowna.
Steve MacNaull is The Okanagan Weekend’s business and wine reporter and columnist. Reach him at steve.macnaull@ok.bc.ca. Quality Greens co-owner Chris Holmes made the decision to close one of the chain’s five markets, the one in West Kelowna.