With more than 1.3 million passengers visiting Kelowna International Airport annually, the time is right to offer a shuttle service from that airport to communities across the South Okanagan, says Robert Linttell, the transportation chair with the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce (SOCC).
Speaking at a Business to Business meeting sponsored by the SOCC last Wednesday at Road 13 Winery near Oliver, Linttell spoke about the chamber’s intentions to work with management from the airport to formulate a detailed business plan over the next several months.
“The next step is to share information and increase communication and to prepare a business plan that we can be comfortable with,” said Linttell, who works as a real estate developer in the South Okanagan, including the Sonora Ridge subdivision on the east bench of Osoyoos. “We will look at things like frequency and costs … we’re not prepared to go beyond that at this moment.”
If the business plan reveals a shuttle service between Kelowna International Airport and smaller communities in the South Okanagan is viable, the SOCC and its members should be prepared to move quickly and make the concept a reality, perhaps as soon as next spring, said Linttell.
For communities in the South Okanagan to realize their full economic potential, business owners and municipal leaders are going to have to market and promote their products not only locally, but across the region and that’s why being able to transport visitors from the airport in Kelowna to communities across the region is an idea worth pursuing, said Linttell.
“We can no longer function as an independent community … future success and growth has got to come from regional development,” he said. “When you put all your energy into regional development, you will have a much greater chance of success.
“It’s time to work together to blow your whistle and let everyone know how great this region is and everything that we have to offer in the South Okanagan.”
The fact management from the Kelowna Airport arranged a meeting several weeks ago to speak to municipal and business leaders is a strong sign they are committed to providing this shuttle service, said Linttell.
The Kelowna airport had more than 1.3 million visitors last year and many of them wanted to access smaller communities like Oliver and Osoyoos and would most certainly take advantage of a shuttle service as many would prefer not to have to rent a vehicle, he said.
“The most surprising news is winter traffic has increased more than summer traffic into the airport,” he said. “We don’t want to just get people into Kelowna but to get them into the entire South Okanagan.”
The SOCC now has more than 300 members and the concept of the shuttle service has overwhelming support from those who know about the proposal, he said.
“It’s now up to you to tell your neighbours,” he said.
The business plan that will now be prepared to look at the feasibility of a shuttle service will have projected numbers over the next five years.
The support from mayors and municipal councils in the smaller communities like Osoyoos, Oliver and Okanagan Falls is very strong for this project.
“The mayors are aware and very supportive … it’s starting to grow,” he said.
The board of directors with the SOCC is going to continue to hold regular meetings with management from Kelowna Airport while the business plan is being prepared.
Any shuttle service that will be offered will have to offer good service at a reasonable price to attract the kind of numbers that will be needed to ensure its economic viability, he said.
Under a best-case scenario, a high-quality shuttle serviced between Kelowna International Airport and other destinations in the South Okanagan could be operational by early 2014, he said.