As the peak of tourist season winds down South Okanagan businesses are being asked to reflect on the summer and fill out a questionnaire to help understand how the tourism sector is faring during the pandemic.
The City of Penticton, Travel Penticton, Downtown Penticton Association and Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce are working together to conduct the survey.
The city first surveyed South Okanagan businesses in April at the height of the pandemic and now the partners want to understand the current situation and future needs of hospitality businesses.
Executive Director of Travel Penticton, Thom Tischik, said the questionnaire will be used to paint a picture of the current state of tourism in Penticton alongside physical distancing requirements.
“While it seems the city was fairly busy during July and August with travellers, we don’t have a clear vision of how well the various businesses did over those months. We feel this survey will help with planning for the future and gauge sentiment of businesses moving forward in this COVID-driven economy,” he explained
While executive director of Downtown Penticton Association (DPA), Lynn Allin, said it’s vitally important for the DPA to hear from members about how the summer season has impacted their business.
“To say 2020 has been a challenging year is an understatement. We are hoping the survey results will provide a snapshot of the economic reality our members are experiencing and what they expect to see over the next few months. With the continuation of Phase 3 for a while yet, our members’ sustainability is our priority,” Allin said.
Business owners and operators are asked to complete a questionnaire at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca before Monday, October 12.
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