Festival season returns and new routes from B.C.
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OKANAGAN WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS
After two years the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival returns and will run from May 5th – 15th throughout the Okanagan Valley. The Festival brings wine lovers from across North America to the Okanagan Valley to celebrate winemaking and experience the unique communities of the Okanagan. More than 70 events will comprise this year’s 10-day Festival.
NEW ZEALAND OPENS MAY 1
The New Zealand government announced the country’s borders will reopen on May 1 allowing Canadians to travel to New Zealand without needing to self-isolate on arrival. A negative pre-departure test will be needed, but there’s no quarantine requirement. Auckland is a non-stop, 14-hour overnight flight from Vancouver.
NEW DIGS IN JASPER
Pursuit has introduced the new Forest Park Hotel, a wilderness inspired space in Jasper. Located at the edge of town, surrounded by mountains and thick coniferous forests, the Forest Park Hotel will provide a great spot for visitors looking to immerse themselves in nature while staying close to the centre of town. Connected to the former Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre, the two hotels will become one. The new addition will open to guests in June.
WESTJET BUMPS EUROPE ACCESS
WestJet is reintroducing many of its Europe flights from Canada. The Vancouver route to London, Gatwick will be daily beginning May 1, 2022. They’ll also bringing back many flights out of Calgary, including Calgary-Rome (3 per week) starting May 7, Calgary-Paris (5 per week) starting May 14 and Calgary-Dublin (3 per week) beginning May 8.
MALAHAT SKYWALK AN INNOVATION WINNER
Malahat SkyWalk has been recognized with a 2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality Award in the category of Innovation. A 600 metre-long elevated walkway transports visitors to a 10-storey, spiral tower lookout 250 metres above sea level, providing 360-degree views. An adventure net and 20 metre spiral slide add to the enjoyment for daring guests. It is located 35 minutes north of Victoria, B.C.
YVR PICKS UP THE PACE
YVR officials say they were seeing about 25,000 passengers per day in mid-February, but that they were up around 35,000 this week. That’s below 2019 levels of 60,000-70,000 passengers a day, but officials said they’re seeing more international departures than at any time in the past two years. In March of last year they averaged five international flights per day. This year the average is 20.
FREE NUPTIALS IN ROMANTIC ITALY
The Lazio region of Italy, which includes the Eternal City of Rome, has a new romance program called Nel Lazio con amore, which means In Lazio with love. Anyone who gets married or has a civil union in the region this year, including foreign residents, can be reimbursed for up to 2,000 Euros worth of local wedding-relate expenses.
SARAH McLACHLAN AT CLAYOQUOT
To celebrate the seasonal opening of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island, Sarah McLachlan will be performing from May 12-15. A portion of proceeds from the weekend’s bookings will go directly to The Sarah McLachlan School of Music to support its mission of providing high quality music education at no cost to under-served and at-risk youth.
Compiled by Jim Byers
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