Join industry leaders and colleagues at the BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference 2022, which is taking place from March 9-11 in Richmond, BC. This year's theme, Kickstarting the Comeback, will centre on the future of both sectors as we emerge from the devastation of the pandemic and look ahead to creating an even stronger, more resilient tourism and hospitality sector.  

Presented by the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) and the BC Hotel Association (BCHA), the three-day conference will provide attendees with a robust program including keynote speeches, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. As attendees of the conference, industry members will gain tools, knowledge and skills that can help them navigate these unchartered waters together and kickstart tourism's comeback. The desire of conference organizers is for all delegates to be informed, motivated, inspired, and equipped to come back even stronger.

This year, several members of Tourism Kelowna's team will be attending the conference and participating in a host of related activities including:

  • Our Manager of Community & Visitor Engagement, Sydney Solland, will be co-presenting with Chris Lewis a concurrent session titled The Future of Visitor Services - Becoming a Community Shared Value, which will focus on the recent and dramatic shift of visitor service needs within communities, and how Visitor Experience programs can deliver new and non-traditional value to both residents and visitors. 
  • Our Director of Community & Visitor Engagement, Chris Lewis, will be participating in TIABC Board and committee meetings and networking with industry members throughout the event.
  • Our Director of Business & Destination Development, Jennifer Horsnell, will be part of the Meetings & Events Recovery Panel that is taking place as part of the Rev Up! Hotel Pre-Conference Track on March 9.

The 2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality Awards will also be handed out as part of the event—the Awards Gala will take place at the Richmond Conference Centre on Thursday, March 10. 

Throughout the conference, there will be the opportunity for Tourism Kelowna staff to network with other destination organizations, various levels of government, sector and industry associations, and more. In addition, a National Town Hall will be taking place on national advocacy issues regarding rebuild and recovery.

If you are unable to attend the conference, we encourage you to connect with Chris Lewis at chris@tourismkelowna.com or 250-861-1515 ext. 207 to submit any questions you'd like our team to address while at the conference.