Where else can you find mountain forests, miles of sandy beaches, refreshing lake waters, and abundant orchards and vineyards? It’s no wonder Kelowna and the Central Okanagan region are hot tourist spots and one of the fastest growing areas in BC.

Tourism is a stable and growing industry in Kelowna generating approximately $835 Million in the Okanagan Valley annually. The Okanagan is ranked third in the province in terms of the value of tourism revenue generated annually with eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and agri-tourism showing major growth within the industry. New ventures in outdoor recreation, nature excursions, winery tours, and many other innovative and exciting ventures are thriving businesses in the Okanagan.

“All roads led us to Kelowna.” says Roxanne Ang, TTI’s founder and Director. “We were looking for a new location as part of our expansion plans and we recognized the growth in the tourism industry in the Okanagan region and the need for well-trained, qualified employees to support this demand.” Consequently, in January this year, TTI established a satellite campus in Kelowna with local resident and educator, Lynn Powell, at the forefront.

The response to TTI’s newest campus has been excellent. Program offerings were originally limited to 2 of TTI’s most popular courses, namely Travel & Airline and Hotel on Land and Sea. However, with the high interest in other sectors, TTI will be expanding its programs to include Hotel Front Office, Hospitality Operations, and Flight Attendant come Fall 2004. It’s highly likely that programs offered in TTI’s Vancouver and Surrey campuses, such as Tourism Management, Adventure and Ecotourism, Event and Conference, etc., will be offered in Kelowna in the near future.

Classes were held at the Best Western Inn; however, with the growing student body, a full-pledged campus was needed. TTI Kelowna is definitely here to stay with the launch of if its new campus in time for September classes. Located on Kelowna’s main street, Harvey Avenue, this spacious and newly renovated campus is accessible and convenient.

As do all other campuses, TTI Kelowna offers its graduates lifetime career counseling and placement assistance using its extensive network and connections in Canada and worldwide. This is a definite advantage with the 2010 Winter Olympics only 5 1/2 years away.

The Council of Tourism Associations of B.C. expects the Olympics to raise B.C.’s tourism development and revenues to new heights around the province. Tourism will be the second (to real estate) cash wave to hit, with major increases expected in the 2 - 3 years leading up to the Games. In addition, InterVISTAS Consulting, Inc. reports that that the Olympics will spawn 45,000 to 99,000 jobs throughout the B.C. economy. Games organizers are more optimistic, saying the event will create up to 228,000 new positions and generate up to $10 billion in "direct economic activity."

“This is excellent news for Tourism in BC.” adds Ang, “Qualified human resources will be one of the keys to the Olympic’s success and TTI grads will be well-positioned to contribute to achieve the goals of BC’s triumphant hosting of the 2010 Olympics.”