Over 10 weeks in late fall and early winter, we worked with local media outlets to encourage residents to #exploreKelownatoday. This local activation provided much-needed support for local tourism-related businesses who faced a number of challenges during this period due to unexpected weather events and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

Through article content, social media posts, contests, email ads, and display and radio advertising, over 150 businesses and events were mentioned in the campaign. The content, which generated more than 7.1 million impressions over the entirety of the campaign, encouraged residents to support the businesses they know and love and to discover new favourites in the area. 

Some key tactics and results from the campaign included:

  • Monthly guides for October, November, and December, as well as a local gift guide for the holidays, created by KelownaNow, resulted in over 15,000 reads.
  • 10 weekly contests worth $500 each were posted to KelownaNow's Instagram account promoting a wide range of activities, businesses, and events. These contests had incredible engagement, with nearly 6,000 entries via comments, follows, shares, or hashtag use.
  • A grand prize for one lucky local to build the ultimate staycation for themselves, or to share with visiting friends or family. This contest resulted in nearly 2,000 entries and 820 newsletter sign-ups.
  • The specially created #exploreKelownaToday landing page for the display ads on Castanet and KelownaNow had more information on ways to make the most of the season and linked to listing pages so residents could find out more about Tourism Kelowna's stakeholders.

We know that exploring Kelowna just wouldn't be the same without our favourite accommodators, restaurants, shops, or markets, so initiatives like the #exploreKelownatoday campaign are essential to help drive consumers directly to area businesses and events. Having a community full of thriving tourism-related businesses contributes to the strength of our local economy and is important not only for the visitor experience but also for the quality of life of residents.

For more information on this campaign, please contact me at carla@tourismkelowna.com or (250) 861-1515 ext. 204.