For the first time, Tourism Kelowna attended ConferenceDirect's Annual Partner Meeting (APM), held this year in late March at Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
Moving into this region of the U.S. meant a different approach to developing business since most of the ConferenceDirect associates were unfamiliar with Kelowna. During the three-day inverted tradeshow, I was able to present our destination to 20 ConferenceDirect associates, while also suggesting a visit to Kelowna for a familiarization tour. As part of the event, ConferenceDirector Associates could enter for a chance to come and do a site inspection of Kelowna.
Additional networking opportunities during the APM took place after hours; however, Tourism Kelowna was the only destination to join Accor, Marriott, and Hilton to host 5 Canadian ConferenceDirect associates for dinner. This was an excellent additional opportunity, as it provided more face time with the Associates, specifically those working within Canada who were already more familiar with Kelowna and the Okanagan.
ConferenceDirect is one of the world's largest and most respected meeting and event management firms. The company's Annual Partner Meeting has been held since 1998, connecting ConferenceDirect suppliers and partners with the organization's top Associates. Tourism Kelowna was able to attend this year's APM thanks to funding from the Government of BC's Business Events and Conferences Restart Fund,
To learn more about the APM or Tourism Kelowna's business development initiatives in the U.S. market, connect with me at pat@tourismkelowna.com or at (416) 265-3464.
