We want to recognize and celebrate some of the award wins and highlight notable news from our local tourism industry during the first part of 2024.
Award Nominations & Wins
7th Annual Heart of Hospitality Awards
On Friday, January 19, the Kelowna Hotel Motel Association celebrated its 7th Annual Heart of Hospitality Awards at a luncheon hosted at the Coast Capri Hotel. The awards were started in 2017 to recognize industry professionals who have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional experiences to Kelowna and area visitors.
Tourism Kelowna's Director of Business Development, Nikki Robinson, was proud to announce the winner of this year's Tourism Spirit Award: Michael Dellafortuna, Assistant Manager/Sales Manager, TownePlace Suites by Marriott.
Greater Westside Board of Trade Key Business Awards
19 Okanagan Grill + Bar
On February 29, the Greater Westside Board of Trade handed out its Key Business Awards at a live ceremony at The Cove Lakeside Resort.
19 Okanagan Grill + Bar won the Tourism and Hospitality Award, sponsored by Kelly O’Bryan’s, while Kyla King of Rad Jamz, one of Tourism Kelowna's Consignment Retail Program vendors, was selected as Young Entrepreneur of the Year and also took home the Small Business of the Year award. We congratulate all the nominees and winners—a full list is available here.
49th Annual City of Kelowna Civic & Community Awards
The City of Kelowna handed out its Civic & Community Awards in late April, and two Tourism Kelowna members took home awards:
- Farming Karma won the Champion for the Environment Award
- Barry Lapointe, Founder/Chairman of KF Aerospace, won the Anita Tozer Memorial Award, bestowed by Mayor & Council
Wins
- The KF Centre of Excellence was awarded an Award of Merit at the Engineering News-Record (ENR) Global Best Projects Awards 2023 and an Outstanding Structure Award at the Structural Engineering Excellence (SEE) Awards 2023.
- April Roy, Chef and Operating Partner for The Train Station Pub and Mid-Town Station, was recognized as Chef of the Year at The Okanagan Chefs Association Awards.
- Bram Bolwijn, Guest & VIP Experience Manager at Mission Hill Family Estate, won the Wine Growers British Columbia Ultimate BC Wine Ambassador Award at the 2024 Wine Growers British Columbia Industry Recognition Awards.
- Grey Fox Brewing won a Bronze medal at the Canadian Brewing Awards in the Gluten-Free Beer category for its Humble Lager.
- Kelowna Ultimate Players Society (KUPS) won the Tourism Kelowna Sport Hosting Excellence Award at the Community Sport Hero Awards, presented annually by PacificSport Okanagan and the City of Kelowna.
Nominations
- Eldorado Resort's Executive Chef, Alain Léger, was a finalist for the Culinary Excellence Award at the 2024 BC Hotel Association (BCHA) Awards of Excellence.
- The Rotary Centre for the Arts was selected as one of three finalists in the Remarkable Experience Award category at the 2024 BC Tourism Industry Awards, for the remarkable experience it delivered with its Indigenous Resilience Festival, a "cross-cultural day of learning" hosted in March 2023.
- Tourism Kelowna was one of three finalists in the Community Contribution & Impact award category for the 2024 BC Tourism Industry Awards and a finalist in the Wine Growers of BC Awards' Master Marketer category.
Notable News
Anniversaries
- Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery and Sandrine French Pastry and Chocolate are both celebrating 20 years of serving Kelowna's residents and visitors.
- 50th Parallel Estate Winery recently celebrated its 15th anniversary in conjunction with the grand opening of its new wine cave.
- Olympia Greek Taverna, which recently re-opened after a devasting fire, celebrates 50 years in business in 2023.
- Mamma Rosa is celebrating its 40th anniversary in business.
- Art Lovers Gallery celebrates its 5th anniversary in 2023.
Community
- The Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) proudly announced that Kelowna will host Country Music Week 2025 and the 2025 CCMA Awards presented by TD.
Industry
- Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort secured the #6 spot on Carats & Cake's list of 11 Hotels to Host an Outdoor Wedding Reception. The hotel has also started renovating its conference centre, delivering a fresh, modern feel for future indoor weddings, conferences, and events.
- In late January, Kelowna International Airport (YLW) and Northland Properties unveiled renderings of The Sutton Place Hotel Kelowna, a six-storey, 245-room luxury hotel.
- In February, Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport announced the completion of its hotel expansion, unveiling its new wing with 55 additional rooms, meeting space, and more. Owned and operated by Argus Properties, the Four Points was the first hotel to open across from Kelowna International Airport in 2014.
Food & Drink
- On April 6, the Kelowna Farmers' & Crafters' Market launched its outdoor season at its new location in the Landmark District.
- BLOCK ONE Restaurant at 50th Parallel Estate Winery and Lakeside Dining at Hotel Eldorado were among the BC restaurants in OpenTable's Top 100 Brunch Restaurants list.
Recently Opened:
- CHAI-TAINMENT
- El Salvador Bar & Grill
- Manohar Vegetarian Bakery
- Nature's Table
- Norman's Diner (Kelowna Location)
- Sushi Sai
- Tahini's
- Ten 13 Caribbean Inspired Cuisine
Coming Soon:
Sustainability
- Wicked Wine Tours received the prestigious Gold Certification from GreenStep Sustainable Tourism for the second year. This certification recognizes the company's commitment to sustainable practices and responsible tourism in the wine industry.
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.
