While at first glance, the OKGo campaign might not look like a tool for meeting and event attraction, it is one of the most important tools in our toolbox. The campaign, a collaboration between the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, Accelerate Okanagan, and Tourism Kelowna, launched in 2021 and is designed to share regional success stories, establishing Kelowna and the Central Okanagan as a hotbed for digital technology, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and viticulture. 

Many cities can offer natural beauty with mountains, lakes, or oceans, along with an array of clean and comfortable accommodation options, delicious restaurants, and engaging activities. What truly sets Kelowna apart—our unique value proposition—is our residents and their entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. 

The OKGo campaign differentiates our community from a sea of other amazing destinations by showcasing this differentiation and providing extra value to meeting planners and delegates. Planners can offer unique and relevant off-site tours, and powerful networking opportunities, while also selecting passionate local keynote speakers that can really augment their meeting agendas and ensure their business event is impactful. Delegates can be inspired by the local entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and innovators featured in the OKGo campaign, who are masters in their respective industries and are putting Kelowna and the Central Okanagan on the map. With the newly created video series, featuring local industry ambassadors, planners can really get a sense of our business community. 

So, you might be wondering how YOU can leverage the OKGo campaign to attract more business. Here are some tips:

  • Familiarize yourself with the campaign website, ok-go.ca, which outlines the key economic sectors and provides a deeper dive into some key businesses within each sector. 
  • Watch and share the industry ambassador video profiles that were created for phase three of the campaign. 
  • Be sure to participate in the Tourism Kelowna economic sector familiarization tours so you can see firsthand the innovation and entrepreneurship happening in our backyard. 
  • Share the knowledge and experiences you gain with your clients. If you have a client that is interested in Kelowna for a program that relates to our economic strengths, be a community connector. Tell them about the resources we have available to augment their agendas including our local industry experts that can be brought in as speakers or the businesses that offer unique tour opportunities. 

Of course, the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, Accelerate Okanagan, and Tourism Kelowna are all available to support your efforts as well. If we collectively all share the same stories and reinforce our industry expertise, we will establish our region as THE place for business events by leveraging our key economic strengths and seeing an increase in demand as a host community. 

For more information on the OKGo campaign and other Business Development initiatives, please contact me at nicolle@tourismkelowna.com

OKGo Partnership Photo