This week, Tourism Kelowna is proud to celebrate two concurrent national recognitions: National Tourism Week (NTW) and National Volunteer Week (NVW). Together, these acknowledgments shine a spotlight on the vital role tourism plays in our economy and communities, and the extraordinary people who help make it a reality.


Canada: Powered by Tourism

National Tourism Week, led by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) in partnership with Destination Canada, brings the industry together to celebrate tourism as a cornerstone of the Canadian economy and a source of cultural and social vitality. This year’s continuing theme, Canada: Powered by Tourism, underscores the sector’s wide-reaching impact, generating $130+ billion in annual economic activity nationwide, attracting visitors from across Canada and around the world, and fostering a sense of pride in local culture and community.


Tourism’s Value in BC and the Central Okanagan

The numbers tell a compelling story at every level. According to Destination BC’s 2024 Value of Tourism Snapshot, tourism generated $23 billion in revenue across the province—a 4.2% increase from 2023—and tourism GDP reached nearly $8.0 billion in real terms, up 4.5% increase year over year. Notably, tourism continues to contribute more to provincial GDP than several traditional resource sectors, including forestry and logging ($1.6 billion), agriculture and fishing ($3.0 billion), mining ($4.9 billion), and oil and gas ($5.2 billion).

Closer to home, Tourism Kelowna’s 2022–23 Economic Impact Survey found that tourism in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan generates:

  • $2.4 billion in total economic output
  • $1.2 billion in total GDP
  • 12,360 total jobs
  • $598 million in total wages
  • $226 million in tax contributions to municipal, provincial, and federal governments

These figures reflect the importance of ongoing investment in tourism, and the critical role that dedicated organizations and community members play in sustaining it.


Igniting Volunteerism: The People Behind the Place

National Volunteer Week 2026, themed Ignite Volunteerism, is a year-long effort to elevate civic participation, rebuild volunteer infrastructure, and celebrate volunteer stories.

Tourism Kelowna is fortunate and proud to be supported by 43 Community Specialist volunteers and 18 Board of Directors volunteers. In 2025, the Community Specialist team contributed approximately 2,500 hours to our organization through the Kelowna Visitor Centre, the Kelowna International Airport Kiosk, and mobile visitor centre activities at major events throughout the region.
 

International Volunteer Year 2026
Pictured: Tourism Kelowna Community & Visitor Engagement team members and volunteers during NVW 2025


As we celebrate National Tourism Week and National Volunteer Week, Tourism Kelowna recognizes that the economic power of tourism is inseparable from the human connections that make it meaningful. For more information about Tourism Kelowna and the value of tourism in our community, visit tourismkelowna.com/industry/tourism-research/.