From April 7-9, Tourism Kelowna attended the 2021 virtual edition of Sport Events Congress (SEC) hosted by Sport Tourism Canada. SEC is a three-day interactive and educational event and the largest annual gathering of professionals connected to Canada's $6.8 billion sport tourism industry.
A significant driver of overnight visitation and economic activity, sport and event tourism have become increasingly important to successful destinations. The pandemic has put nearly all events on hold, but over 400 delegates took part in this years' congress with high energy and optimism as the industry looks to bounce back later this year and into 2022. Kelowna has an extensive hosting resume and has previously been ranked the number one city with a population between 50,000 and 150,000 in Canada for sport hosting.
The highlight of the congress was the Sport Events Exchange where Tourism Kelowna and the City of Kelowna met with 13 National Sport Organizations and introduced them to our destination as an experienced and desirable host city. From rugby, basketball, water polo, and even chess, organizations were excited to learn about Kelowna, our facilities, accessibility, and strong partnerships. Over the coming weeks and months, we will continue conversations that will re-activate our event strategy, further our destination’s exposure on a national level, and ultimately help our tourism businesses recover by generating economic activity in the Central Okanagan when events return.
The next three editions of SEC are set to take place in Edmonton, Richmond, and Winnipeg. To learn more about the event, click here.
To chat further about Tourism Kelowna's Major Event Strategy or about future hosting opportunities, please connect with me via email at colin@tourismkelowna.com or by phone at (250) 861-1515 ext. 209.
