The Town of Oliver is receiving support from elected representatives across the Southern Interior for the province’s boost to rural tourism. The town has faced negative impacts from wildfires and climate change over the past year, leading to economic losses and a muted tourism season.
At the recent Southern Interior Local Government Association conference, a resolution was passed in favor of the provincial government providing financial investments to local governments to help diversify tourism in impacted communities throughout British Columbia. The Town of Oliver brought forward the resolution, highlighting the economic losses caused by wildfires and subsequent travel bans.
Coun. Terry Schafer of Oliver noted the damage to agricultural crops, particularly in the wine and fruit industries, which are popular tourist attractions in the Okanagan region. The town is seeking options to diversify tourism year-round to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events.
In a similar move, the District of Sicamous presented a resolution at SILGA calling for long-term economic supports for tourism-dependent rural communities. Both tourism-based requests will be further debated and discussed at the upcoming Union of BC Municipalities convention in the fall.
The support for boosting tourism in rural communities reflects a collective effort to address the challenges faced by regions impacted by wildfires and climate change. By investing in diversifying tourism and providing long-term economic support, these communities hope to recover from recent setbacks and attract visitors year-round.