This Thursday, Tourism Kelowna, the Downtown Kelowna Association (DKA), and the Kelowna Chamber will launch the first of two joint business walks through Kelowna's city centre. While all three organizations have conducted similar outreach efforts in the past, this is the first time they will be collaborating to connect with local businesses.

“All three of our organizations recognize the pressures small and mid-sized businesses in Kelowna face,” notes Tourism Kelowna President & CEO, Lisanne Ballantyne. “These business outreach walks will allow us to connect directly with our members, gaining deeper insight into their operational needs and economic realities.”
 

Photo taken in October 2024.
Image credit: Ken Hagen


Together, the three organizations represent nearly 2,500 members: the DKA with more than 1,100 members, the Kelowna Chamber with approximately 1,000, and Tourism Kelowna with more than 350 members and advertisers.

“We are eager to connect with our mutual downtown Kelowna members, ” says DKA Executive Director, Paula Quinn. “We want to hear their success stories firsthand, learn from their insights, and better understand where support is needed to unlock future growth.”

Leaders from the three organizations will be connecting with businesses in the north end of Kelowna, along and near Clement Avenue, in the morning on Thursday, September 18, 2025. A second business walk, kicking off along Bernard Avenue, will be scheduled for later this fall to connect with more businesses. 

“Connecting face-to-face with local business owners, many of whom are members with all three of our organizations, is vitally important to the work we do,” says Kelowna Chamber CEO, George Greenwood. “These touchpoints help us look ahead with clarity and ensure our work continues to reflect the evolving needs of our community.”

The learnings and feedback provided by business owners and front-line employees through the outreach walks will be shared with the respective teams of the organizations, informing future action plans and identifying potential collaborative opportunities.

 

Headshot Image 2 - Paula Quinn, George Greenwood, Lisanne Ballantyne
Pictured (left to right): Paula Quinn, Executive Director, DKA; George Greenwood, CEO, Kelowna Chamber; Lisanne Ballantyne, President & CEO, Tourism Kelowna


Stay tuned for more details on the second instalment of the business outreach walk.

Members who are unable to connect during the walks, or those located outside of downtown Kelowna, are invited to share their insights directly so that we can support and strengthen Kelowna's business community together.