On October 29 and 30, I represented Tourism Kelowna at SPOHOX™ Live 2025 in Regina, connecting with event organizers and sport tourism professionals to share why Kelowna is a perfect fit for hosting sport events of every scale, thanks to its world-class venues, welcoming and collaborative community, and stunning landscape.

This was the first time Tourism Kelowna attended SPOHOX™ Live, a dynamic two-day conference designed to bring together professionals from across the sport hosting industry. The event struck a good balance between engaging information sessions and productive one-on-one meetings with national and international sports organizations and event right holders.

Originally launched in 2023 as an exclusive, boutique-style gathering for sport hosting professionals, SPOHOX™ Live (formerly known as Spo Ho Xperience™) has quickly evolved into a national platform for industry leaders. During the conference I had the opportunity to meet with organizations such as Ringette Canada, Canada Games Council, The Canadian Cheer Company, the Royal Canadian Legion, Major League Table Tennis, amongst others. 

As part of the event, Tourism Kelowna proudly sponsored the Xtra Innings™ Social at Crave Kitchen + Bar, offering attendees an evening of great company, local flavour, and a little friendly competition. Alongside my colleague, Julia Garner, we welcomed more than 70 guests to the event for sips and bites, SINGO (a lively mash-up of music trivia and bingo), and conversation, all of which captured the energy and connection that define sport tourism.

Two lucky attendees—Cody and Sydney—took home Kelowna travel prize packages that included flights from Air Canada, along with accommodations and experiences from our incredible local partners at Coast Capri Hotel, Hyatt Place Kelowna, Kelowna Concierge, Nixon Hospitality Group, and The Harvest Golf Club. All guests were able to take a taste of Kelowna home after the event, as we offered trail mix from Cabin 5 Granola, macarons from Sandrine French Pastry and Chocolate, and fruit bars from SunRype Products Ltd. 

Kelowna’s Major Event Strategy has firmly established our city as a premier destination for hosting world-class events. Building on the success of hosting events such as the 2025 Montana’s Brier and Country Music Week 2025 and the 2025 CCMA Awards presented by TD, Kelowna continues to strengthen its reputation as a top-tier event hub. Looking ahead, the momentum for sport tourism remains strong, with an exciting lineup that includes the 2026 Memorial Cup, 2026 BC Summer Games, and Touchdown Kelowna, with the BC Lions hosting two of its regular season games in our city. 

To learn more about sport tourism in Kelowna or to discuss your future events, contact me at sara@tourismkelowna.com.