Tourism Kelowna’s flight of ads for its "Come Alive in Kelowna" spring campaign started running in early March, continuing through to the end of May. The paid advertising campaign is another full-funnel marketing approach to connect travellers, inspire them to travel to Kelowna, provide them with information to help them plan, and finally push them to book their upcoming trip to Kelowna.

Markets & Tactics

Again in 2026, our investment will be placed in domestic advertising channels. Our spring campaign runs mainly in Ontario, Alberta, and here in BC; however, several of our tactics will be seen by larger domestic and international audiences. We also work with Destination British Columbia (DBC) and Destination Canada to reach international audiences whenever possible.

Tactics included in our spring marketing mix include:

• 30-second PSAs on broadcast television;
• 15- and 30-second digital and connected television ads;
• 30-second feature ads in Cineplex Theatre’s pre-show;
• Social media ads on Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit;
• Print ads in Food & Wine Magazine, and
• Content partnerships on Expedia for accommodations and flights.

^{Digital ad creative slides} 

Proven Creative

To maximize our investment and put as much as possible towards our media advertising placement spend, we are reusing the creative pieces we developed last year.

Since this ad creative performed well in 2025, we’re pleased to use it again this year, capitalizing on the new look and feel that was rolled out last year as part of our updated brand. This creative was developed by our design and creative agency, Partners & Hawes, which has professionals working across the province, including its agency founder here in Kelowna.
 

^{Creative for meetings and conferences ads}

Always-On Marketing

It's important to remember that Tourism Kelowna's paid advertising campaigns are augmented by evergreen marketing content and other always-on marketing activities. Our marketing and communication strategy spans paid, earned, owned, and shared media channels, as outlined below. 

• Paid Media: These are placements we specifically pay for, including our advertising campaigns and the programs/partnerships Tourism Kelowna runs and participates in, such as the Must-Visit Spots program and DBC's Co-Op Marketing Program. We also do local advertising to encourage residents to get out and #exploreKelowna.
• Earned Media: This segment includes travel media and public relations. Each year, we host travel writers, influencers, and content creators to experience Kelowna firsthand, allowing them to showcase their experiences through a variety of content, including social media posts and videos, blog posts, articles for traditional and online publications, and more.
• Owned Media: Our website, e-newsletters, blogs, and other channels where we control the content and distribution make up the owned media segment. 
• Shared Media: This segment is similar to owned media but focuses on content marketing that is distributed and amplified through third-party platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

Learn More

Each year, we develop a research-based, comprehensive media plan with our media agency 9Letters (formerly Wasserman). They have been our media agency of record for several years and have delivered strong results for our destination. They also work with other tourism clients and, in the past few years, have signed on to provide media planning and placement for DBC and the Wine Growers of British Columbia. With these other clients that complement our work, we’re able to spot more opportunities and leverage their knowledge and our investment even further.

If you have questions about the spring campaign or Tourism Kelowna's 2026 Advertising Plan, please contact me at chris.shauf@tourismkelowna.com.