On March 27, Tourism Kelowna will mark an important transition as we bid farewell to President & CEO Lisanne Ballantyne, whose tenure has marked a period of meaningful growth, transformation, and resilience for the organization and the industry as a whole.

Since joining Tourism Kelowna in 2017, Lisanne has led with a deep sense of responsibility to community, industry, and place. Following a benchmark year for tourism in 2019, during which Tourism Kelowna was awarded the DMO Professional Excellence award at the BC Tourism Industry Awards, Lisanne led Tourism Kelowna and the broader industry through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. She remained a steady and compassionate presence, with leadership that reflected Tourism Kelowna’s core values, prioritizing community well-being, collaboration, and responsible recovery.

Lisanne’s leadership coincided with a pivotal moment for Tourism Kelowna, as the organization evolved from a traditional marketing focus toward a more holistic destination management approach.

Under her guidance, Tourism Kelowna advanced a renewed Strategic Plan and a Tourism Destination Development Plan, created in partnership with the City of Kelowna and launched in 2022. These strategic frameworks continue to shape Tourism Kelowna's planning for a resilient, year-round visitor economy.

While Kelowna's recent designation as Canada's first and only UNESCO City of Gastronomy—secured through a partnership between the City of Kelowna, Okanagan College, Tourism Kelowna, and Westbank First Nation—is one of the most high-profile and impactful components of Lisanne's legacy, she has championed an array of other meaningful organizational and industry advancements that will have a lasting impact, including:

• Guiding the organization through the construction and opening of the waterfront Kelowna Visitor Centre, a valued community hub that now welcomes more than 250,000 guests annually. 
• Modernizing Tourism Kelowna’s membership model to better reflect evolving industry needs.
• Supporting the introduction of new governance structures, including expanded board representation and strengthened relationships with partners such as Westbank First Nation.
• Advancing Memorandums of Understanding with various organizations to deepen collaboration across the region.
• Strengthening major events, sport tourism, and meetings and conferences, helping to diversify visitation beyond the summer peak.

During her tenure, the economic impact of tourism in the region grew from approximately $2.1 billion in total output in 2018 to $2.4 billion in 2022/23, reflecting the collective efforts of industry, partners, and community, along with Tourism Kelowna's work, guided by Lisanne's leadership, to build economic resilience, enhance visitor experiences, and ensure tourism continues to benefit residents and businesses alike.

Beyond the milestones and strategic achievements, those who work with Lisanne appreciate her kind, caring nature and the calm, thoughtful presence she exudes, whether navigating complex challenges or celebrating everyday wins.

As we look ahead to Tourism Kelowna's next chapter, we do so with appreciation for Lisanne’s contributions and the legacy she leaves behind. Her impact is reflected not only in plans, partnerships, and progress, but in the people and community she helped bring together, and we wish her all the very best in her next chapter.