Throughout 2026, Tourism Kelowna partnered with visiting content creators to showcase the destination through a range of experiences, from winter adventures and spring blossoms to culinary experiences and mountain biking.

Each partnership highlighted a different aspect of Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley, aligning creators' interests and audiences with seasonal experiences and destination marketing priorities. Together, these collaborations helped showcase the region beyond the peak summer travel season and reach audiences with diverse travel interests.

Across four creator partnerships, the resulting content generated more than 3 million reported views and 69,000 engagements. These results highlight how creator partnerships expand destination awareness and showcase the experiences made possible by Kelowna's tourism businesses, industry partners, and community organizations.

Discovering a Different Side of Winter with Kirsten Wendlandt

In January, our team, led by Lindsay Kelm, partnered with travel creator Kirsten Wendlandt (@inspiredbyhertravels) during her visit to the Central Okanagan, highlighting the region's winter experiences beyond skiing, including outdoor adventure, dining, entertainment, and wellness.

Through short-form videos and Stories shared across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, Kirsten featured dog sledding and dining at Big White Ski Resort, dome dining at Frind Estate Winery, Ryan Michael's The Art of Magic & Illusion at Crown & Thieves' Broken Hearts Club, wine tasting and bites at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, and a winter wellness experience at Löyly Floating Sauna.

The partnership highlighted the opportunity to work with creators already visiting the destination while showcasing the variety of winter experiences available.

Kirsten's top-performing TikTok generated more than 200,000 views and 13,000 engagements, reflecting strong engagement with her winter content.
 

Explore Kirsten's content:


Welcoming Spring in Bloom with Beige Bassig

In April, we welcomed back Vancouver-based travel and lifestyle creator Beige Bassig (@colormebeige) to showcase spring in Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley, highlighting orchard blossoms, outdoor experiences, and local food and drink.

Through Instagram Reels, Stories, and photography, Beige featured orchard blossoms at Paynter's Fruit Market, cider tasting at Truck 59 Cider House, dining at Chilango Modern Mexican, patio happy hour at OAK + CRU Social Kitchen & Wine Bar, and accommodations at Delta Grand Okanagan Resort. Her itinerary also featured opportunities to explore the region's natural beauty, including spring wildflowers, orchard blossoms, waterfront parks, and downtown gardens.

Building on her first visit in October 2025, Beige incorporated footage filmed at local businesses, including CedarCreek Estate Winery, Sprout Bread, and Bernie's Supper Club and Cinema, into her latest content. This demonstrated the value of ongoing creator relationships and the opportunity to extend the use of content captured during previous visits.

Beige's top-performing orchard Reel generated 221,616 views, while her Reels reached predominantly new audiences (above 90%), extending the destination's reach.
 

Explore Beige's Instagram content:


Keeping the Summer Feeling Going with Fuel for the Sole

In September, we welcomed back travel creators Meagan and Andy Smith of Fuel for the Sole (@fuelforthesole), following our first collaboration showcasing outdoor adventures in Lake Country in spring 2025.

With warm weather and outdoor activities continuing well beyond August, the partnership focused on showcasing Kelowna's extended summer season and encouraging September travel following a summer impacted by regional wildfires.

Fuel for the Sole's itinerary included canyoning with Western Canyoning Adventure, a self-guided e-bike wine tour with Lakeside Eco-Sports, featuring tastings at Hidden Vines Family Estate Winery, SpearHead Winery, and Meadow Vista Honey Wines, a market visit to Kelowna Farmers' & Crafters' Market, dining and entertainment at BNA Brewing and Red Bird Brewing, and a stay with Prestige Beach House.

Through short-form videos and Instagram Stories shared across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts, Meagan and Andy highlighted the range of experiences available in Kelowna during September, while introducing their audiences to local tourism businesses.

Their canyoning TikTok reached new audiences, with 92% of views coming from non-followers. Their Instagram Stories also generated 144 sticker taps on business tags and links, giving viewers opportunities to explore the featured businesses and experiences directly.
 

Explore Meagan and Andy's content:


Exploring Kelowna's Mountain Biking Scene with Mark Matthews

In August, we partnered with professional mountain biker and content creator Mark Matthews (@markymath) to showcase Kelowna's mountain biking trails and position the region as a destination for riders seeking new terrain and experiences.

During his initial visit, Mark filmed at Gillard mountain biking trails and visited BTS Cocktail Bar & Kitchen. However, unexpected smoke from regional wildfires shortened his stay, requiring adjustments to the original content plans.

We welcomed Mark back in October to continue the partnership, this time focusing on the mountain biking trails at Knox Mountain. While his videos showcased the riding experience, his Instagram Stories and captions emphasized the unique proximity of an extensive mountain biking trail network to Downtown Kelowna, with accommodation, restaurants, and other amenities just minutes away.

Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort supported Mark's accommodation during the partnership. Mark's partner, Chelsea, who supports his photography and videography, also shared content from her popular niche Instagram account focused on travelling with their three cats. She shared content highlighting their stay, providing a unique opportunity for additional exposure.

Across Mark's two visits, the collaboration generated more than 2.1 million views and 32,700 engagements across Instagram and YouTube. Mark's Knox Mountain Reel alone received more than 1.6 million combined views across Instagram and Facebook, with 93.6% of Instagram views coming from non-followers, extending the content's reach to new audiences.
 

Explore Mark's content:

The Local Partnerships Behind the Stories

These creator collaborations wouldn't be possible without the support of our local tourism community. We're grateful to the businesses that welcomed and hosted creators throughout 2026, as well as the many tourism businesses, community organizations, and industry partners whose ongoing work helps make Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley such compelling destinations to visit, explore, and share.

Across the four creator partnerships in 2026, the resulting content generated more than 3 million reported views and 69,000 engagements, helping introduce the destination and its experiences to new audiences.

The value of these partnerships also extends beyond the initial visit. Where appropriate, our team works with creators to secure organic content usage rights, allowing us to reshare their content across our channels in future seasons. This extends the content's lifespan and creates ongoing opportunities to showcase the destination, reach new audiences, and build destination awareness.

Looking to 2027

As we look ahead, we're grateful for the relationships we've built with content creators over the years and their continued enthusiasm for showcasing our destination. Many have developed a genuine connection to the region, and we value the opportunity to work with creators who share our passion for Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley and bring their own perspectives to its stories.

In 2027, we'll continue building on these relationships and exploring new partnerships that align with our destination marketing priorities, while working closely with our local tourism community to showcase the experiences our region has to offer.

Are you a Tourism Kelowna member interested in supporting a future visiting creator partnership? Connect with me to learn more about potential hosting opportunities for your business.