With the tourism sector in Kamloops planning for a busier summer this year, the accommodation sector is preparing to support those travellers.

General Manager of the Kamloops Delta Hotel, Bryan Pilbeam, says the return of more international travel is expected as businesses like the Rocky Mountaineer get back to regular operations.

“We are excited. I think everybody, everywhere is excited for summer on so many different levels and certainly no different in the hotel industry and tourism businesses,” he said.

“In our city, once we sort of kick in to the mid-April into late-April season, hotel rooms occupancies would probably be in and around the 80 per cent mark, maybe a bit higher pushing into 90 per cent,” he said.

“And then through June, July, and August, those are all months where most hotel rooms by the end of the day are pretty close to full.”

Pilbeam says with a lot of turnover in the industry over the last two years there are many people in the hotel sector who are getting ready for their first ‘busy’ tourism season for the first time.

“I think people are seeing that pent up desire to travel and to get out and get going,” he added. “As weather turns, that is just going to add to it.”

“Summer is looking good for us for us at this point. We are just starting to sort of tip into that right now.”