Okanagan tourism best in B.C.
Okanagan agencies and people came up big at the B.C. Tourism Industry Awards. The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association topped the innovation category, tied with Fishing BC.
Tourism Kelowna was named the province’s destination marketing organization of the year.
Jan Dobbener, the guest experience manager at Quails’ Gate Winery in West Kelowna, picked up the customer service award.
Accent Inns snagged the employees first award.
Mario Arango Rodriguez from Kelowna Yacht Club was a runner up in the customer service category.
And, Kelowna-based The Paisley Notebook, which puts on pop-up dinners and events, was a runner up in the remarkable experience category.
All were honoured during the recent B.C. Tourism Industry Conference in Vancouver.
The Okanagan doing well in tourism awards doesn’t come as a surprise because the Valley has exceptional offerings with lakes and beaches, wineries, golf courses, ski resorts, arts and culture.
In fact, tourism is one of the Okanagan’s biggest economic engines with 3.5 million visitors a year spending $2 billion.
“As Kelowna continues to see exponential growth, our board and staff remain committed to increasing visitation year-round and producing memorable experiences for guests,” said Thom Killingsworth, chairman of Tourism Kelowna and manager of Kelowna Yacht Club.
“We’re appreciative of the recognition and our efforts extend our praise to our local tourism industry for their hard work and support.”
Accent Inns has five locations in Kelowna, Kamloops, Burnaby, Richmond and Victoria, and two Hotel Zeds in Kelowna and Victoria.
“The happiness of our staff has always been the most important metric when considering our culture,” said CEO Mandy Farmer.
A 2018 employee survey saw 95 per cent of staff agree with the statement: I am happy to be here.
Pot for pets
The Okanagan now has its second cannabis campus.
The first launched last year when Flowr started growing in an 85,000-square-foot facility on McCarthy Road at Kelowna’s northern boundary with Lake Country.
This week, True Leaf Medicine opened the first phase of its campus in Lumby, an 18,000-square-foot, two-storey building with grow area, laboratories and extraction space.
True Leaf makes various wellness products for pets and the people who own them out of the CBD (cannabidiol) part of the cannabis plant that doesn’t cause a high.
It’s THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in the plant that gives a high.
While True Leaf is all ready to grow marijuana in the facility, it can’t until it gets final Health Canada approval later this year.
When it does start to grow, True Leaf will be the first cannabis-for-pets company to both produce marijuana and make products.
Some of the products include oils, supplements and treats to boost immunity, ease hip and joint pain, reduce anxiety and improve heart health in dogs and cats.
Flowr recently hired chef Ryan Reed to develop edible cannabis products and promoted Jason Broome from senior vice-president of operations to chief research and innovation officer.
Start Up Weekend
It’s intense.
It’s fun.
And it’s effective.
It’s Start Up Weekend Okanagan, the 54 hour period March 22-24 in which entrepreneurs, developers, designer, marketers and product managers develop a business plan and launch their own new business.
The event sees teams form on the Friday night and then prepare a Sunday-night presentation for the judges.
Pitches are judged on market viability, revenue model and innovation.
Winning teams receive help to take the business to market.
The cost to participate is $99, or $50 for students, and includes all meals and beverages for the weekend. Register at EventBrite.com.
The public can also drop by on the Sunday night to see the final pitches at the Okanagan Innovation Centre for $25.
Csek expands
Csek Creative, already a marketing agency and owner of KelownaNow.com, is getting into the print and signage business.
Csek Print and Signage is a partnership with Knoica Minolta in a 4,750-square-foot facility on Leckie Road.
The presses can produce traditional printed materials and signs, but also print on doors, glass, hockey pucks, shirts, hats and mugs.
Csek Print and Signage will show off its new premises at 2293 Leckie Rd. at the next Kelowna Chamber of Commerce ConneX social and networking mixer on March 21, 5-7 p.m.
Csek co-owner Nikki Csek is also the chamber’s new president for 2019-20.