For Immediate Release:June 12, 2017

OKANAGAN TO HOST FIRSTWINE AND CULINARY TOURISM FUTURES CONFERENCE

Kelowna, BC – The Okanagan will welcome international speakers, colleagues, educators, and scholars for the first Wine and Culinary Tourism Futures Conference, taking place October 17-20, 2017 in Kelowna.

Early-Bird registration is open now through July 15 and welcomes academic and professional specialists to attend as we share ideas and practices on the transformative potentials of wine and food tourism. Registration in 2017 is limited to 150 delegates. To register visit the conference website www.wineandculinarytourismfutures.ca“The conference will feature daily keynote speakers, concurrent sessions for academia and industry, panel discussions as well as evening site visits to local wine and culinary producers,” comments John Hull, Associate Professor Thompson River University and conference co-chair. “The four day conference will be filled with a strong selection of national and international speakers sharing their stories including successes based on their experiences in their regions.”The conference will consist of a series of academic and industry break-out sessions, keynote speakers and panel discussions. Individuals interested in presenting may submit their interest to CALL FOR PAPERS, deadline for paper submission is June 15, 2017.Confirmed conference speakers sharing their industry stories include:Caterina de Renzis Sonnino – Sonnino International Education, Proprietor, International EducationDonald House – IDMG Culinary Marketing, Managing DirectorDr. Filippo Randelli – Universita` degli studi Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l’Economia e l’ImpresaDr. Greg Jones – Southern Oregon University, Environmental Science and PolicyDr. John Overton – Victoria University of Wellington, School of Geography, Environment and Earth SciencesDr. Nicholas Cradock-Henry – Landcare Research Manaaki Whenua, Governance and PolicyMarsha Waldon – Destination British Columbia, CEOMiles Prodan – British Columbia Wine Institute, Executive DirectorPhilip Coppard – Stormy Lake Consulting, PrincipalRhys Pender – WinePlus, Master of WineTim Hanni – Vinotype, Master of Wine“Transformative tourism marks a paradigm shift for the industry that harnesses the social and environmental consciousness of a new travel market for positive social, economic and environmental change,” notes Donna Senese, Associate Professor University of British Columbia Okanagan and conference co-chair. “By opening a dialogue between the academy, industry, and government actors, this conference will provide a platform to disperse information, broaden our network, mentor emerging scholars and practitioners and encourage new perspectives on best practices and potentials.”The Wine and Culinary Tourism Futures Conference goal is to promote and increase dialogue, foster communication and increase collaboration between academia and industry on a global scale ensuring a positive future for the industry.