The wildfires and smoke currently affecting Penticton, Summerland and the surrounding area are having a profound impact on our communities. With evacuations underway and conditions changing quickly, our first concern is for the safety of our guests, our team, our winery partners, first responders, and everyone affected. For tourism businesses in the Okanagan, the impact is also significant. Our region has a short tourism season, and many local wineries, restaurants, accommodations, tour operators and other small businesses earn the majority of their annual income during the summer months. When circumstances beyond anyone’s control bring tourism to a sudden stop, the effects are felt throughout our entire community.

If You Can, Please Postpone Rather Than Cancel

If your upcoming Grape Escapes Wine Tour cannot go ahead because of wildfire conditions, evacuations, road closures or other related circumstances, we respectfully ask you to consider accepting a non-expiring credit for the full value of your tour rather than cancelling your reservation. Your credit will never expire. You can use it when conditions improve, later this season, next year, or whenever the time is right for you to return to the Okanagan. You are not giving up your wine tour. You are simply enjoying it at a later date. And that decision can make a meaningful difference. Keeping your reservation as a future credit helps Grape Escapes continue supporting our employees, local wineries and the many other businesses that depend upon a healthy tourism economy. It allows revenue that would otherwise disappear from our community today to remain here until we can welcome you back.

Supporting the Okanagan From Afar

There are other ways you can help, too. If you have a favourite Okanagan winery, consider ordering a few bottles directly from them online or purchasing their wines from a retailer near you. Support local restaurants, accommodations, artisans and producers where possible. And when conditions improve, please come back and visit. For many small tourism and hospitality businesses, a postponed visit is very different from a cancelled visit. It represents hope, continuity and the knowledge that our guests intend to return.

The Okanagan Will Welcome You Back

For more than 15 years, Grape Escapes has had the privilege of introducing visitors to the wineries, people and landscapes of the South Okanagan. We love this community, and we know how resilient it can be. Right now, our priority is getting everyone safely through this difficult period. When the smoke clears, the roads reopen and our wineries are ready to welcome visitors again, we will be here — and your wine tour will be waiting for you. If you are able to postpone rather than cancel, we sincerely appreciate your support. Keep your reservation. Keep your full credit. Come and enjoy the Okanagan when the time is right. Thank you for standing with Grape Escapes, our winery partners and the entire Okanagan tourism community. Dino and Staff Grape Escapes Wine Tours Penticton, British Columbia