Working Together for Regional Tourism
Community leaders who took part in the mid-January meeting between Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism and the Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce included: (back L-R) Ryan Martin (NKLT/Martin Hotel Group), Jesse Woodward (Nelson city councillor), Stephen Harris (Chamber/Stephen Harris Communications), Marika Melville (NKLT/Stirling All Suites Hotel), Roger Quayle (Chamber/CIBC), Rob Little (NKLT/Chamber/Adventure Hotel), Karen Bennett (Chamber/Bennett Family Real Estate), Linden Horswill (Chamber/Home Hardware Building Centre), Danica Heaton (NKLT marketing manager), Grace Henecka (Chamber business & climate advisor), Mike Rubenstein (NKLT/Whitewater Mountain Resort); (front L-R) John Dutton (NKLT/Prestige Marina), Matt Popp (Chamber member relations & events), Peter Moynes (NKLT executive director), Sydney Black (NKLT/Nelson & District Arts Council), Rebeckah Hornung (Chamber/Baldface) and Tom Thomson (Chamber executive director)
Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism and Chamber Build Momentum
A refreshed relationship and a shared focus on real-time goals for regional tourism were the focus of a mid-January gathering that brought together business leaders from key sectors.
At the first of two planned meetings for 2026, representatives from Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism (NKLT) and the Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce explored areas of alignment aimed at producing tangible outcomes for both organizations. Board members and staff participated in a World Café-style dialogue, using small, café-style table conversations in rotating rounds to explore a series of guiding questions.
NDCC President Rebeckah Hornung helps lead the world café-style table conversations.
“Both organizations independently play such a critical role in our community, but their goals are deeply interconnected,” says Rebeckah Hornung, Chamber president and Baldface general manager. “When aligned, they can amplify economic, social, and community benefits far beyond what either can achieve alone. Tourism is such a vital economic driver in our community, which means both organizations share a wide range of common stakeholders.”
NKLT is a destination marketing organization that has represented the region—stretching from Nelson to north Kootenay Lake, south to Ymir, and across to the East Shore—since 2009. A not-for-profit, self-sustaining organization, NKLT represents the interests of the tourism sector and is governed by a board of directors made up of tourism-related stakeholders.
The Chamber is a member-driven organization representing more than 500 small- and medium-sized businesses throughout Nelson and the surrounding area, including Harrop/Procter, Balfour, and Ainsworth. Established in 1893, the not-for-profit organization has long been an integral part of the region’s business community. Through advocacy and its work with the Greater Nelson Economic Development (GNED) partnership, the Chamber promotes business growth, sustainable development, and job creation, while fostering strong relationships with businesses, non-profits, educational institutions, government, and the broader community.
Setting Shared Goals Strengthens Sector
Facilitated by Chamber director Stephen Harris, the January session covered a broad range of topics and generated high-energy discussion. Participants rotated between three tables focused on the visitor and business journey; organizational roles, strengths and boundaries; and joint priorities and future projects.
NKLT President and Chamber board member Rob Little discusses some of the conclusions from the session.
“We all live, work, and play in the same place, so it’s important that organizations representing the region work collaboratively to support its vibrancy and success,” says Peter Moynes, executive director of NKLT. “We identified a set of action items to begin working on immediately—items that simply hadn’t surfaced prior to the meeting. The level of energy in the room reflected just how much both organizations care about the long-term health and vitality of the region.”
Following the table discussions, the group identified five priority outcomes: enhancing the visitor journey through an ambassador program; inviting the City of Nelson to a future joint session; strengthening coordination around Nelson’s Visitor Information Centre; increasing focus on conference and sports tourism; and exploring shared approaches to operational costs.
“From my perspective, business vibrancy and tourism are completely intertwined in Nelson,” says Rob Little, president of NKLT and general manager of the Adventure Hotel. “A strong, active business community—particularly in the downtown core—directly shapes the visitor experience, while tourism plays a major role in keeping those businesses viable. Bringing the Chamber and NKLT together allows us to work more intentionally toward shared goals.”
The next session between the two organizations is scheduled for June 2026.
