In mid-December, Tourism Kelowna's Director of Visitor Experience, Chris Lewis, joined his first board meeting as a newly-elected member of the Tourism Industry Association of BC's (TIABC) Board of Directors.
"As a Director on TIABC's Board, I look forward to working alongside my industry colleagues in support of the organization's strategic plan and advocacy efforts, which are more important than ever given the tremendous challenges tourism and hospitality have faced over the past two years," said Chris. "I am proud to represent Tourism Kelowna, and the Central Okanagan communities and tourism-related business we support and market, at a provincial level."
In addition to his new role as part of the TIABC Board, Chris serves as a Member of Influence on the Okanagan Young Professionals’ Advisory Board and is on the Board of Directors for the Lake Country Chamber of Commerce. For more than seven years, Chris has donated his time to support the Canadian Cancer Society and he is also an active volunteer with Emergency Support Services.
Thanks to his dedication to the tourism industry and his community, Chris was recognized as one of Destination International's 30 Under 30 in 2016 and as one of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's Top 40 Under 40 in 2020. He was also awarded the Community Volunteer Leadership Award for the Canadian Cancer Society in 2017 and in January of 2020, was recognized for five years of volunteer service with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police E Division.
In his current leadership role, Chris oversees the visitor experience team at the Kelowna Visitor Centre and airport information kiosk. Chris’ efforts during the planning, construction, and opening phases of the Kelowna Visitor Centre (KVC) were instrumental in successfully completing the project on time and on budget. Since the centre opened, Chris and his team have worked tirelessly to continue improving and innovating—the installation of solar panels, Sustainable Tourism Platinum Certification, certification through the Rick Hansen Accessibility program, and an ever-expanding consignment retail program are just some of the initiatives that have been successfully achieved with Chris at the helm.
About TIABC
The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) advocates for the interests of British Columbia’s $21.5+ billion visitor economy. As a not-for-profit tourism industry association, TIABC works collaboratively with its members – private sector tourism businesses, industry associations and destination marketing organizations – to ensure the best working environment for a competitive tourism industry. Read more on the TIABC website.
