Tourism in Osoyoos

The South Okanagan Tourism Area generates about 350,000 visitors and an estimated $59 million annually in direct visitor expenditures. The area’s tourism products include wineries, agri-tourism activities, Aboriginal culture, golf, winter and summer outdoor adventure activities and a sizeable roster of festivals and events.

Osoyoos has been designated a resort community in accordance with the Province’s Resort Municipality Revenue Sharing Program. This means the community will have additional resources available to develop tourism infrastructure. Eligible projects will be based on local needs and could include such things as street or park improvements, festivals or amenities to increase all-season resort opportunities.

There is significant new investment occurring Osoyoos that will have implications directly and indirectly for tourism. New wineries, recreational condominiums, hotel expansions, and resort developments have created a positive business climate and more opportunities for market and product development for a four-season destination resort.

Destination Osoyoos is providing value to the tourism sector by providing enhanced visitor services and helping to market Osoyoos’ expanding product base.

Osoyoos, Oliver, and the Osoyoos Indian Band have collaborated on a tourism strategy to map out destination, product and marketing initiatives for the next 10 years. The key objectives of the strategy included a doubling of tourism by 2015, development of a four-season industry and an overall improvement in destination status and product availability. Osoyoos and its partners continue to strive to achieve these goals.