The central Okanagan is facing weeks without tourism during its peak season after British Columbia香蕉视频直播檚 premier imposed bans on travel to wildfire zones.

Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC, says the travel restrictions mean many tourism operators in the region are 香蕉视频直播渢aking a hit,香蕉视频直播� though it香蕉视频直播檚 too early to quantify the damages.

香蕉视频直播淚f you look at the entire 12 months of the year, August is typically the busiest month for visitors,香蕉视频直播� he said.

The ban, which was introduced Saturday under the provincial state of emergency, will be in place until Sept. 4 for hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks and campgrounds in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon.

Premier David Eby has said the decision was made to ensure accommodation is available for crews and the 30,000 people who were forced from their homes across B.C.

Realtor Raymun Khunkhun, who has lived in Kelowna for about three decades, said the ban has left streets usually teeming with visitors eerily bare.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 not a lot of people walking around,香蕉视频直播� he said in an interview Saturday.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 almost like a ghost town now out here.香蕉视频直播�

Nearby wildfires have forced the evacuation of thousands in the city and watercraft rental businesses to close their doors, leaving boats and jet skis sitting idle, bobbing on the water.

The Kelowna International Airport has also been cancelling flights since Friday to ensure aerial firefighting efforts go uninterrupted.

Khunkhun said there香蕉视频直播檚 not much that can be done now other than 香蕉视频直播減ray for better days.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hese streets are usually packed, like it香蕉视频直播檚 hard single-file walking when you香蕉视频直播檙e on the sidewalks, and now it香蕉视频直播檚 almost a little scary that it香蕉视频直播檚 just empty,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淗opefully this doesn香蕉视频直播檛 turn into anything worse than it already is.香蕉视频直播�

Lisanne Ballantyne, CEO of Tourism Kelowna, said in a statement Sunday that the ban will impact the tourism sector, but the current focus remains on the wildfire response effort.

She encouraged people to listen to evacuation orders and avoid impeding firefighting efforts.

香蕉视频直播淲hen able, we will move forward to recovery planning,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e have faced challenging situations before, and while none are the same, we will work through this together, rebuild and also focus on long-term resiliency.香蕉视频直播�

Judas agreed, adding the ban comes at a time when businesses were already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, the devastating floods in 2021, and were finally expecting to bounce back.

香蕉视频直播淢any businesses are still not fully up to speed and operational after COVID. Many are still carrying a lot of debt and and don香蕉视频直播檛 have a full complement of staff,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭he industry is taking a big hit once again.香蕉视频直播�

He added that projections showed the tourism industry香蕉视频直播檚 revenue was on track to be comparable with the 2019 season.

香蕉视频直播淭o what degree this will affect overall tourism revenues is difficult to say,香蕉视频直播� he said.

In the meantime, Judas said the focus should remain on protecting guests, residents, the community and businesses.

The province said the travel ban does not impact other regions, but is asking people to avoid non-essential travel to the central Interior and southeast to keep roads clear for emergency-response operations and other potential evacuations.

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