Find out where to travel this winter
Kelowna airport’s winter travel event on Saturday will be offering prizes
Get inspired for a sunspot jaunt. Check out what’s new in all-inclusive holidays. Find out who’s flying, where and when. And win flights and hotel stays. All will be on offer Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Kelowna International Airport’s annual Winter Travel Event.
Airlines, travel agents, hotels and resorts will be setting up booths in the airport’s terminal to provide information and tips on sun destinations.
“This event is a great opportunity for locals to learn about new travel options from YLW and win great prizes,” said Kelowna airport director Sam Samaddar.
“We have many new participants this year, so there’s never been a better time to attend.”
As the hub airport for the Southern Interior, Kelowna is well served with nonstop flights to winter vacation destinations.
Cancun, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, is the most popular with three airlines offering seasonal flight-only and all-inclusive flight-hotel-meals-and-drinks packages.
WestJet will start flying to to Cancun next month every Sunday and Wednesday.
Also next month, Sunwing will offer a weekly flight on Sundays.
And Air Transat will ramp up weekly Saturday service in December.
WestJet has already begun seasonal weekly non-stops on Fridays to Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Air Transat will start flying to Puerto Vallarta on Sundays in December.
This will be the third season Sunwing is offering flights and all-inclusive packages to the resort region of Varadero. The weekly Friday flights start next month and will continue through April.
WestJet has also already started offering weekly Saturday flights and all-inclusive packages to Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula.
The desert oasis of Phoenix is accessible non-stop twice-weekly, on Saturdays and Mondays, with WestJet.
In past years, WestJet has flown twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays, between Kelowna and Las Vegas.
However, the airline isn’t doing that this year, preferring to to consolidate its service to Vegas from larger centres such as Vancouver and Calgary.
The Winter Travel Event is also touting connections to sunspots.
With non-stop flights from Kelowna to metropolises such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Seattle and Toronto, the connection possibilities to California, Florida, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean are virtually endless.
Seven prize packages will be given away at Saturday’s event.
— Return airfare for two to Victoria with Pacific Coastal Airlines and a two-night stay at Oak Bay Beach Hotel
— Return trip for two anywhere Flair Airlines flies (Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto). — Airfare for two to Edmonton — Three-night stay at the SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
— Two nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport — One night at Sandman Hotel Kelowna — One night stay at Fairfield Inn Kelowna Ballots for the prize draws are $5, or three for $10, and are available only at the event.
All money raised from the draws will go to the United Way.
Parking will be free in the long-term lot for the event.