Tourism Kelowna is preparing to say a heartfelt goodbye to Colin McGuinness, whose last day with our organization will be this upcoming Friday, April 1.  

Colin joined our team in the fall of 2019, bringing his expertise to the forefront immediately as he worked with Skate Canada during the 2019 Skate Canada International competition, which took place only days after he started in his role. The momentum Colin was building in his role was turned upside down when just a handful of months later the COVID-19 pandemic struck and shut down major events. 

Since then, Colin has worked tirelessly to build new connections and nurture existing relationships within our region and with the sport and events community at large. Colin continued to work closely with colleagues at the City of Kelowna on future hosting opportunities, actively pursuing leads for several significant sport and cultural events in 2023 and beyond. Most notably, Colin worked on behalf of Tourism Kelowna, in collaboration with the City of Kelowna, School District 23, and PacificSport Okanagan, to bid on and win the right to host the 2026 BC Summer Games, which will see more than 4,000 athletes, coaches, support personnel, and families travel to Kelowna for the biennial multisport competition.

Spartan Race FAM Tour at Big White
Spartan Race site visit and inspection at Big White Ski Resort, September 2021

He worked alongside partners at Big White Ski Resort to secure Spartan Race, a showcase event that will draw more than 5,000 racers to the region in August 2022. Colin also supported Kelowna's vibrant arts and culture sector, submitting bids for two future major events and engaging with partners as they developed the Central Okanagan Music Strategy, which seeks to "advance the sustainability of the music industry in our region."  

On top of all this, Colin also contributed to Tourism Kelowna's positive team spirit throughout the pandemic, creating fun online competitions and bringing his upbeat attitude to in-person events when the situation allowed.  

We thank Colin for his perseverance and dedication over the past two and half years, which were anything but normal, and wish him continued success as he moves into his soon-to-be-announced new role—congratulations, Colin! 

For those who are interested or have questions about the Business Development, Sports & Events role, please contact Jennifer Horsnell at jennifer@tourismkelowna.com or by calling 250-861-1515 ext 205.