Kelowna, BC — Calling all residents who are members of associations and corporations, provincially, nationally, and internationally! Why not host your next meeting or conference right here in Kelowna and showcase your city’s natural beauty and urban amenities? Tourism Kelowna’s Host At Home Program consists of a tool-kit of resources that can save your company or association time and money in the event bidding and hosting process while building your event registration. This tool-kit includes professional bid templates, e-communication marketing tools, customizable program shells, Visitor welcome kits, a resource database of local services such as professional meeting planners, accommodations and venues, and staff support.
Here’s how the program works:
· Tourism Kelowna aims to help residents be ambassadors for their own city in order to attract meeting and convention business to Kelowna by providing event marketing expertise and guidance to the local host. Assembling a winning event bid is the first step and the Host At Home Program provides local hosts with a free bid package template for this purpose.
· Once Kelowna has been selected as the host city for a conference, the Host At Home Program provides personal guidance and complimentary tools to help build attendance for the event. These tools are an electronic postcard to help in promoting registration and interest in the conference; and a meeting shell that conference organizers can use to print their registration form or program information.
· The Host At Home Program then provides the delegates with destination packages so that they feel welcomed and informed about the city and all that it has to offer. This third component ensures that delegates are encouraged to get out and explore the area, visiting Kelowna's many attractions and restaurants.
“Conference planning is an enormous task for the host destination. Our goal is to encourage residents to host more meetings and conventions by reducing the time and costs involved. We all love to show off our beautiful city and through the Host At Home Program tools and resources we can efficiently invite more people from all over the world to experience it,” says Jennifer Horsnell, Sales Manager of Meetings & Incentive Travel for Tourism Kelowna. “Tourism Kelowna’s role is to increase tourism visitation and revenues for the benefit of our businesses and community overall, and increasing the number of meeting and conventions will have significant results.”
To set up a meeting to discuss how you can get involved and bring your conference to Kelowna, contact Jennifer Horsnell at 861-1515, ext 26 or email jennifer@tourismkelowna.com.
