Dear Editor:
I wish to send out a special shout out to the people responsible for the incredible injection of tourism revenue this past weekend due to the Cirque du Soliel performances. In the 4.5 years as owner of Theo’s Restaurant I have yet to see an event that put so many bums in seats and heads in beds in our local tourist venues. The town was abuzz with visitors from Kelowna, Vernon, Lake Country, Kamloops, communities from South Okanagan and even some visitors from the USA. The performance was as superb as the revenues generated for the entire community. June weekend revenues in January? Who would have thought?
This is reminiscent of the transformative years in Whistler. There was a time when Whistler/Blackcomb struggled with 20% hotel occupancies and empty restaurant seats and retail stores in their shoulder seasons. The TSN turning point was when the hoteliers and hospitality industry became more vocal and involved in tourism marketing.
Whistler is now considered a year around busy resort area. Penticton has the same potential and the SOEC facility is just one of many brilliant amenities our town has to offer. Let’s leverage it more! I encourage the C.O.P. to double its budget for Tourism Marketing instead of pumping millions into amenities like empty bike lanes that benefit nobody in the doldrum months of the winter.
On behalf of the entire Theo’s staff, (Front and Back of the House), I wish to send a special shout out to the SOEC committee members for making this happen. Well done!
Dean Clarke - Manager SOEC
Anthony Haddad – City Manager
Dave Bushby – Chair, SOEC Advisory Committee
Duane Jordan – SOEC Advisory Committee
Don Kendall – SOEC Advisory Committee
Jackie Frederick – SOEC Advisory Committee
Thank you.
Gregory Condonopoulos, (Condon)
Owner – Theo’s Restaurant