FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2010

Tourism Kelowna, Wineries Form Collective

When you tally them up, the wineries that dot the Kelowna area are an impressive group. Together they form a powerful visitor draw, an unsurpassed trunk of medals and international accolades, and some of the Okanagan Valley’s oldest and richest viticultural history. These and other strengths of the wine region from Lake Country through to West Kelowna will be explored in the coming months through an initiative of Tourism Kelowna and 15 area wineries with the goal of increasing tourist visitation and wine sales at participating wineries. The collective has hired Coletta & Associates Ltd to develop its strategies.

“We’re excited to be involved in this initiative right from the ground level,” says Gordon Fitzpatrick, President of CedarCreek Estate Winery. “Forming a collective with our neighbour wineries is a smart business decision that will grow patronage of our wineries and destination as a whole. Linking with the research, resources, and promotional track record of Tourism Kelowna is a strong point, too, not to mention the ability to dovetail with the established reputation and draw that Kelowna represents as a destination.”

“Raising the profile of these wineries and the destination overall will be a rewarding task, rich in angles and elements,” says Nancy Cameron, President and CEO of Tourism Kelowna. “From well-respected, established pioneer wineries with elaborate guest experiences, to the particular hospitality of smaller family-owned operations both contemporary and quaint, the Kelowna area truly has it all. Developing strategies specific to this sector as well as a set of distinctive attributes that resonate with the unique characteristics of our wineries will mean more visitors through the doors of those wineries and more overnights in Kelowna when visitors see the depth of what there is to experience here.”

Coletta & Associates have embarked on their task of working with the Kelowna collective and results are anticipated to be unveiled in the spring of 2011. The wineries participating in this initiative are: Arrowleaf Cellars, Camelot Vineyards Estate Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Ex-Nihilo, Gray Monk Estate Winery, House of Rose, Little Straw Vineyards, Mission Hill Family Estate, Okanagan Villa Estate Winery, Quails' Gate Estate Winery, SpierHead Winery, St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Tantalus Vineyards, and Vineyards Estate Wines At Calona Vineyards.

As a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), Tourism Kelowna invests in advertising, promotion, and sales strategies that build consumer demand for the destination resulting in increased visitation and spending. It also operates the Visitor Centres of Harvey Avenue at Ellis Street and of the Kelowna International Airport.

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For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Catherine Frechette
Media Relations Manager, Tourism Kelowna
Tel: (250) 861-1515 ext 203
Email: Catherine@tourismkelowna.com