Tourism Kelowna has shared an article for businesses, including business practices to consider and how to assess if you’re ready to welcome 2SLGBTQIA+ travellers, a valuable market made up of highly-educated individuals with disposable income seeking businesses that align with their values.
Read More
Tourism Kelowna has compiled a guide on working with media, influencers, and content creators. Determining what type of creator to work with depends on several factors including your goals, budget, and resources. Understanding the difference between the types of creators and what they offer, and if it aligns with your goals, will help you decide if they are the right advertising/marketing option for your business.
Read More
The District of Lake Country announced that Tourism Kelowna has been awarded the contract to pilot mobile visitor services in the community for the summer of 2022. The pilot, which will begin in mid-May and run into September, will see mobile visitor services initiatives launched in high traffic locations around Lake Country such as beaches, parks, events, and attractions to engage with residents and visitors.
Read More
On Thursday, April 21, the Kelowna Hotel Motel Association held its 2021 Heart of Hospitality Awards virtually. The awards were started in 2017 as a way to recognize industry professionals who "have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional experiences to Kelowna and area visitors." Tourism Kelowna presented the "Spirit of Kelowna" award to this year's winner, Bobby Bissessar, Director of Sales & Marketing at The Cove Lakeside Resort. The "Spirit of Kelowna" award is presented to an individual who demonstrates the spirit of Kelowna's brand promise and the destination ambassador values of collaboration, excellence, pride, innovation, and integrity. Congrats Bobby!
Read More
Tourism Kelowna connected with several West Kelowna businesses to find out more about what tourism means to them and how it positively impacts their business and community.
Read Tourism Kelowna’s Value of Tourism Spotlight on West Kelowna →
Read More
To acknowledge Tourism Kelowna's dedication to both the local community and to visitors from outside of the Central Okanagan, Tourism Kelowna has changed the name of the Visitor Experience department to Community & Visitor Engagement. The shift towards this new name has happened naturally, particularly since the 2018 opening of the Kelowna Visitor Centre (KVC), which is now a community hub providing valuable services to both residents and visitors. During the past year, local traffic to the KVC was the highest ever, with 64% of traffic being made up of residents, an increase from 52% in 2020. The KVC's reputation is a community-shared value and hub for the Central Okanagan.
Read More
The legal rights to the legendary creature Okanagan Lake have been transferred to the Okanagan Nation Alliance, who say Ogopogo has always been part of their spiritual teachings. Council members in the Okanagan city of Vernon voted unanimously to transfer the Ogopogo copyright it has held for 65 years.
Read More
After four years of dedicated commitment to responsible, sustainable tourism practices, Tourism Kelowna has earned a Platinum Certification through the Sustainable Tourism Program offered by GreenStep. The achievement recognizes Tourism Kelowna’s commitment to sustainable initiatives that align with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Read More
After a difficult year, Tourism Kelowna wanted to spread a little joy among the amazing people that make up the industry and personally thank them for the great service they provide by participating in the 10 Million Acts of Kindness initiative. Launched in Kelowna in the summer of 2021, this social movement project was aimed at inspiring kindness within the community and beyond. Over 10 days in September, the Tourism Kelowna team hand-delivered over 100 hundred gift bags to front-line staff of Tourism Kelowna stakeholders. The gift bags included a thank you note, local products, Love for Kelowna stickers, and a card that not only explained the initiative but also encouraged them to pay it forward with their own act of kindness.
Read More
The IArT Mobile Gallery has relocated to Meet Me On Bernard, an open street animation initiative on Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna, meant to encourage active modes of transportation. From July 1 to September 6, 2021, the street will be transformed to provide new opportunities for performances, public art, demonstrations, and programs, including the IArT Mobile Gallery.
The outdoor stage was utilized by the City of Kelowna, Downtown Kelowna Association, and Tourism Kelowna to kick off Meet Me On Bernard for the summer.
Read More