In mid-June, Tourism Kelowna attended the annual Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) North America Conference 2025, connecting with media from around the world and showcasing Kelowna’s year-round travel experiences on an international stage. Typically held in the U.S., this year's TBEX North America Conference took place in Québec City and was one of the organization’s largest events since the pandemic.
Over two days of speed networking, one of the event’s key components, Chris Shauf, Director of Marketing & Communications, and I each participated in 22 one-on-one meetings, for a total of 44 meetings with content creators, influencers, and bloggers. On top of that, our sponsorship booth attracted numerous walk-up visits from media who weren’t able to pre-book appointments, creating even more opportunities to share Kelowna’s story.
Each meeting was customized to the interests of the media we were speaking with, many of whom were based in Eastern Canada or the U.S. For several, this was their first time hearing about Kelowna, making it an exciting opportunity to introduce the destination from the ground up. Our city’s natural beauty, vibrant food and wine scene, and outdoor lifestyle sparked immediate interest across the board.
We focused our conversations on key storytelling themes that align with our 2025 priorities, like the bounty of the Okanagan and Kelowna’s bid to become Canada’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy. We also highlighted Indigenous tourism experiences, sustainability, biking routes, including the Okanagan Rail Trail and Myra Canyon Trestles Trail, major events, and the appeal of solo travel. These layered narratives are built on our destination’s core strengths: wine and craft beverages, farm-to-table dining, outdoor adventure, and year-round appeal.
Across conversations, we noticed a shared interest and desire to support Canadian destinations. Media were particularly interested in Kelowna’s status as one of Canada’s fastest growing cities, our role as home to one of the country’s busiest airports, the collaboration between local businesses, and how businesses are connecting with the land through sustainable practices. Solo travel (especially women over 50), non-typical family travel destinations, unique accommodations, "travel hacking," and wellness/spa travel were recurring themes.
As part of the event, we also had the privilege to join local familiarization experiences that included:
- Walking tours through Old Québec City, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
- A fun evening cruise on the AML Louis Jolliet Boat, which departed from the historic Chouinard Quay on the St. Lawrence River.
- A closing night event at Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury, hosted by Indigenous Tourism Quebec.
We’d like to extend our thanks to TBEX and Destination Québec cité for hosting a welcoming and well-organized event. From fantastic networking opportunities to conversations with media from accross North America, the conference offered an energizing glimpse into the evolving landscape of travel media.
If you have stories or developments you'd like Tourism Kelowna to consider sharing with media, please reach out to Lindsay Kelm, Travel Media & Communications, at lindsay.kelm@tourismkelowna.com.
