Tourism Kamloops Insights: February 2026
Mary Putnam
A closer look at Kamloops’ February 2026 visitor data and the story behind the headline numbers.
February’s visitor data tells a more interesting story than the headline numbers suggest, and for industry partners paying attention, there’s a lot worth unpacking.
The domestic picture reflects broader trends we’re seeing across the sector. Canadian visits were softer year over year, with Alberta, historically one of Kamloops’ strongest provincial markets, taking a quieter month. It’s the kind of shift that’s worth watching, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
By The Numbers
International trips | +98.4% year over year |
U.S. trips | +31.4% year over year |
Accommodation occupancy | 52.2% (+6% year over year) |
Average daily rate | $128.27 |
Total hospitality revenue | $5.74 million |
Website session duration | +47.7% year over year |
The international story runs in the opposite direction. Trips from international markets grew 98.4% year over year, with Australia leading at 1,300 trips, followed by China, India, and Germany. The U.S. market held up as well, with Washington State generating 934 trips and the region overall posting a 31.4% increase in trip volume. These travellers stay longer, spend more per night, and represent the kind of high-value visitor that operators feel in revenue even when total numbers are modest.
What’s drawing them here? The data points to culture. Museums and galleries captured 54.1% of all location-of-interest activity in February, a commanding lead over municipal recreation at 21.7% and golf at 8.9%. The cultural anchor is real, and it’s showing up consistently across visitor segments. For a destination still building its international profile, that’s a meaningful differentiator.
On the accommodation side, the market looks balanced. Occupancy came in at 52.2%, up 6%, with an average daily rate of $128.27 and total hospitality revenue of $5.74 million for the month. That’s not explosive growth, but it reflects a destination with consistent demand and meaningful room to optimize heading into peak season.
The digital picture reinforces what the accommodation data is already suggesting. Website visitors who arrived in February spent significantly more time on-site, with average session duration up nearly 48% year over year. Tourism Kamloops’ social audience continues to grow, with follower gains in February outpacing the same period last year by a significant margin. People are paying closer attention to Kamloops, and when they arrive, virtually or in person, they’re engaging more deliberately than they were a year ago.
The shift in visitor profile, more international interest, longer stays from higher-value travellers, and deeper engagement from a more intentional audience, points to a destination that’s attracting people who are actively choosing it. It’s a positioning story, and February’s data makes a compelling case for telling it louder.
