We want to recognize and celebrate some of the award wins and highlight notable news from our local tourism industry that occurred over the past few months.
Award Wins
Business Excellence Awards
Top Image (left to right): Lisanne Ballantyne, Oyama Zipline Adventure Park Owners, Peter and Jennifer and Peter Madsen, Chris Lewis, and Sara Correa; Bottom Left Image (left to right): Tourism Kelowna Board Chair, Joseph Clohessy, presenting the Excellence in Tourism Award to Jennifer and Peter Madsen.
The Kelowna Chamber's 35th Annual Business Excellence Awards were recently handed out at an in-person ceremony at Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort.
Tourism Kelowna was proud to sponsor the Excellence in Tourism Award, which was presented to Oyama Zipline Adventure Park. A few other Tourism Kelowna members also took home awards:
- Arts & Entertainment Excellence: Sncəwips Heritage Museum
- Environmental Impact: Meadow Vista Honey Wines
- Small Business of the Year: Strut Footwear & Apparel
Brea Lake, CEO of Accelerate Okanagan—a partner with Tourism Kelowna and the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission for the OKGo campaign—was named Business Leader of the Year 2022.
We also want to recognize the other finalists in the Excellence in Tourism category, Beach Bum Tours and RauDZ Creative Concepts, as well as the numerous Tourism Kelowna members and tourism-related businesses who were finalists in several categories.
BC Farmers’ Market Awards 2022
Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market Manager, Frances Callaghan, won the “Most Outstanding Community Impact” among farmers’ market managers across BC at the BC Farmers' Market Awards 2022, which were presented in early November at the annual BC Farmers’ Market Conference, hosted by BC Association of Farmers’ Markets. The award recognizes Frances’ extraordinary leadership and management skills and her commitment to local farmers’ markets.
Notable News
Community
- The Kelowna Chamber will welcome several hundred delegates to Kelowna in May of 2024 as the host Chamber and city for the annual BC Chamber Conference and AGM.
- After being named 2022 Enactus National Champions, Okanagan College's Enactus team headed to Puerto Rico to represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup. The team, who finished in the top four out of 32 teams at the World Cup, has been widely recognized for their projects Unusually Good Food Co. and FruitSnaps, two enterprises that collect and use apples that have fallen to the ground in orchards that, unless collected, would go to waste.
Industry
- Accent Inns Inc. is the first hotel chain to have all of its properties officially Rainbow Registered with Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CLGCC), which identifies the hotel properties as 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly spaces. Accent Inns Inc. has implemented training, processes, and procedures, as well as significant resources, to make sure 2SLGBTQIA+ team members and travellers feel safe, welcome, and accepted.
- In October, the Rotary Centre for the Arts welcomed Anthony James as its new Artistic Director. Anthony is an award-winning Executive Producer, Artistic Director, Writer, and Presenter, who brings with him more than 35 years of experience.
Food & Drink
- Barn Owl Brewing has purchased adjoining It's A Bakery—follow the Barn Owl Facebook page for more updates on a forthcoming name change and extended hours.
Join us in congratulating all the award winners and recognizing all those who achieving great things and delivering exceptional experiences to visitors and locals alike!
Have an award win, achievement, or notable news to share? Email us all the details so we can include the information in our next roundup.