The Tourism Kelowna Society hosted its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, May 7, at the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport, where members and industry partners gathered to review the organization’s 2025 Report to the Community, welcome the newly appointed 2026–27 Board of Directors, and share an optimistic outlook for the year ahead.  

2025 marked a strong year for Kelowna’s tourism sector, highlighted by the city’s designation as Canada’s first and only UNESCO City of Gastronomy and the successful delivery of nationally televised major events. Key industry indicators, including year-over-year increases in total trips, regional visitor spending, and hotel occupancy, as well as record-breaking air passenger volume at Kelowna International Airport, reaffirm Kelowna’s enduring appeal as a dynamic, four-season destination.  

"The strength of our 2025 results is a testament to the dedication of Tourism Kelowna's team, the vision from our volunteer Board of Directors, the commitment of our industry partners, and the continued trust of our members and community collaborators," said Kelly Watt, Chair of Tourism Kelowna's Board of Directors.  

Building on the momentum of 2025, Tourism Kelowna is optimistic about the tourism year ahead. In 2026, the organization will further activate around the UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation, in partnership with the City of Kelowna, Okanagan College, Westbank First Nation, and industry. The city will be in the spotlight once again, welcoming several high-profile sports events, including the Memorial Cup, Touchdown Kelowna, Kelowna HOOPFEST, the BC Summer Games, and Skate Canada International.  

"As we move through 2026, the Board is excited about the momentum we're carrying forward," said Watt. "This month, we are also excited to welcome Cassandra Zerebeski as Tourism Kelowna's new President & CEO. We are confident Cassandra will lead the organization into its next chapter of growth, further building and positioning Kelowna and the Central Okanagan as a must-visit, four-season destination. The Board looks forward to supporting Cassandra and her exceptional team as they develop an updated five-year strategic plan, with a continued focus on fostering destination resilience and regional growth for the benefit of residents and visitors alike." 
 

2026-27 Board of Directors
Pictured: Top Row (L-R): Sam Samaddar, Carla Carlson, Christina Ferreira, Joanna Schlosser, Heather Courtney, Loyal Wooldridge, Jillian Haller. Bottom Row (L-R): Dale Sivucha, Kelly Watt, Edan Fay, Elyse Godard, Tascheleia Marangoni.

The 2026–27 Tourism Kelowna Society Board of Directors, some of whom are pictured above, includes:  

Elected

Appointed

Note: Executive roles will be determined at the Board meeting taking place on May 27, 2026.  


2025 Accomplishments  

A few select highlights of Tourism Kelowna’s 2025 accomplishments include:  

  • Welcomed more than 274,000 guests to the Kelowna Visitor Centre, achieving a 97% average happiness score, and connected with more than 3,400 people through our mobile visitor centre. 
  • Generated 227 leads for meetings, conferences, and business events, representing a potential estimated economic impact of nearly $52.6 million.   
  • Hosted marquee events including the Montana’s Brier and Country Music Week, generating more than $40 million in economic activity, alongside 39 sport and major event leads representing a potential estimated economic impact of nearly $28.7 million.   
  • Were featured in 514 travel media articles with a combined circulation of more than 75 million readers, representing an ad value of almost $13 million.   
  • Advanced strategic domestic paid advertising campaigns generating more than 96 million impressions and $120,000 in leveraged media value, focused on driving shoulder-season visitation from BC, Alberta, and Ontario.   
  • Generated more than $510,000 in total retail program revenue, including more than $141,000 in direct consignment sales for participating local businesses, artists, and artisans.  
  • Our AI visitor assistant KAITI logged 742 conversations over the course of the year, representing more than 100 hours of visitor engagement.   

For a complete look back at 2025’s accomplishments, please read Tourism Kelowna’s 2025 Report to the Community.