Winter in Kelowna awaits and with it comes plenty of opportunity to ski, stay, and play in a destination that offers year-round activities.
Our Winter 2019-20 campaign has started to roll out, inviting visitors to come and explore Kelowna while enjoying great skiing, savouring winter in wine country, and checking out new and interesting activities throughout the winter season. This is the second year we have targeted marketing to winter travel, and we have increased our investment in this year's campaign. Following the first year of the campaign we saw growth in hotel occupancy in December, January, and February, and strong sales of ski day passes at Big White Ski Resort. Beyond that, intention to travel to Kelowna during the winter months rose across all key markets. This year, we look to further increasing overnight stays, visitation numbers, and economic impact over the winter months.
Marketing tactics will run across Western Canada and the Pacific Northwestern United States to introduce Kelowna as a winter destination and remind those that have already discovered this season to come back for another visit. The campaign includes video advertising, contest promotions, content partnerships, and social media marketing, running between late November and early March. Marketing tactics will drive to a campaign landing page where visitors will discover more information, along with winter packages and promotions. Visitors that take up the invitation and book their stay can also access special promotions on ski lift passes, wine tastings, and other winter attractions at their hotel.
Big thanks to Big White Ski Resort for their major partnership in this campaign, and to all other local tourism businesses that participated in the campaign, including:
Hotel / Stay Partners
Best Western Plus Kelowna Hotel & Suites, Comfort Suites Kelowna, Cove Lakeside Resort, Cozystay Signature Lake Okanagan Resort, Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort, Eldorado Resort, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Kelowna, Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport, Hampton Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kelowna, Kanata Kelowna Hotel & Conference Centre, Kelowna Inn & Suites, Ramada by Wyndham Kelowna Hotel & Conference Centre, Sandman Hotel & Suites Kelowna, and The Royal Anne Hotel.
Winery, Winter Attraction & Play Partners
50th Parallel Estate Winery, Arion Therapeutic Farm, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Ex Nihilo Vineyards, Gray Monk Estate Winery, Grizzli Winery, Home Block at CedarCreek, Indigenous World Winery, Intrigue Wines, O'Rourke's Peak Cellars, Quails' Gate Winery, Sandhill Wines, Sperling Vineyards, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, The View Winery, and Wicked Tours.
If you have questions about Tourism Kelowna's four-season marketing and communication strategy, please contact me at chris.shauf@tourismkelowna.com or by calling (250) 861-1515 ext 203.