The Kootenay Tourism Summit
will take place at the Best Western Plus Fernie Mountain Lodge
on October 27-28, 2026
Join us for the Kootenay Tourism Summit in beautiful Fernie!
This 2-day event is the largest gathering of tourism professionals in the Kootenay Rockies region and provides awesome opportunities for networking, professional development and peer learning. There are so many incredible things happening in the tourism world here in the Kootenays and we are excited to showcase them with you.
The program kicks off on Tuesday afternoon and will include guest speakers,
thought leaders and inspiring panelists from around the region and beyond.
Tourism Fernie will host a social reception at the new White Birch Cafe & Bistro on Tuesday evening (walking distance from summit hotel). Afterwards, there will be plenty of time to get out and explore Fernie’s unique restaurants and bars on your own. We will also be holding optional guided experiences to discover Fernie’s natural beauty, history and local attractions. Breakfast and lunch are included in the Summit registration along with a full-day program on the Wednesday. This is an unmissable event for anyone connected to tourism in the Koots!
Summit Agenda will be available early-September
Registration opens at the BW Plus Fernie Mountain Lodge
at 11:30am on Tuesday, October 27 – Official Program Start is 12:30pm.
An evening social reception will take place at 5pm.
Optional Guided Experiences are offered before, during and after the Summit.
They are outlined below.
Closing Remarks and End of Program
will be at 3:30pm on Wednesday, October 28.
Summit Registration is $249.99
Includes 2-day Summit Sessions, Tuesday evening Social,
Wednesday breakfast and lunch.
EXPLORE FERNIE with optional guided experiences during the Summit!
FREE to attend; registration is required.
(Tour duration, Meeting place, time confirmation and tour registration coming soon.)
FERNIE GHOST
TOUR
Guided tour through downtown highlighting
local dark history legends.
Tour Duration: 1.5 hr
Meeting Place: Station Square, 591 1st Avenue
October 26 at 6:30pm, evening before Summit
October 27 TBA
FERNIE HERITAGE
TOUR
Guided tour through downtown looping through historic hotels and the city’s past districts.
Tour Duration: 1 hr
Meeting Place: Fernie Museum, 491 2nd Avenue
October 27 TBA
October 29 TBA
FAIRY CREEK FALLS HIKE &
INTRO TO NEW PALEO TRAIL
A 5km hike to experience Fernie’s natural beauty
and learn about the region’s past at the VC interpretive fossil displays.
Tour Duration: TBA
Meeting Place: TBA
October 27 & 29 TBA
ACCOMMODATION is booked directly by delegates and not included in the Summit Registration.
Here are a few closeby lodging suggestions:
- Best Western Fernie Mountain Lodge
1622 7th Ave (Summit venue)
Quote code: 2220 for Conference group rate of $190.31
for Standard Queen Rooms.
Call to book / 250-423-5500 / 1-866-423-5566 - Stayin.club (various locations)
15% discount is offered to delegates
Book online using Code: ROCKIES2026
- Park Place Lodge – 742 Highway #3
(1 km from venue)
Classic hotel room, starting at $154
Use Code: KRT26 / 250-423-6871 / 1-888-381-7275 - Snow Valley Lodging – 1041 7th Avenue
(2 kms from venue)
15% discount is offered to delegates
Call or email 250-423-4421
Info@FernieAccommodations.com
Our KOOTENAY TOURISM SUMMIT Sponsors
HOST SPONSOR:
Tourism Fernie Society is a Destination Marketing & Management Organization with the mission to sustainability increase visitation and revenue for stakeholders in Fernie and surrounding area through effective tourism marketing, programs and destination management.
TITLE SPONSOR:
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home and has since grown to over 5.5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2.6 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
GOLD SPONSORS:
Breeze Digital – A full service digital agency crafting digital experiences since 2002. The multi-disciplinary team of designers, developers and marketers have decades of combined expertise. From concept to code to conversions, Breeze Digital has the integrated expertise to elevate your digital marketing and brand experience. Located in downtown Cranbrook, their top-notch Kootenay team enjoys a charming and relaxed mountain town lifestyle and creating engaging web experiences.
Click Maint is a Canadian maintenance management platform that helps organizations simplify work orders, maintenance requests, assets, equipment, inspections and preventative maintenance. For hotels, resorts, attractions, recreation operators and other tourism businesses, maintenance plays a direct role in guest experience, safety, staff efficiency and seasonal readiness. Click Maint gives teams an easy-to-use system to track what needs to be done, who is responsible and what has been completed.
go2HR is the human resources and health & safety association for British Columbia’s tourism and hospitality industry. go2HR exists to drive strong work forces and safe workplaces that deliver world-class tourism and hospitality experiences in BC. Through training, research, advisory services and industry partnerships, go2HR supports employers and workers at every stage, helping build a stronger tourism and hospitality sector for BC.
Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit connects guests to some of the world’s most celebrated destinations through attractions, accommodations, dining, retail and transportation services. Their portfolio includes well-known experiences such as the Banff Gondola, Columbia Icefield Adventure, Golden Skybridge, Maligne Lake Cruise and Lake Minnewanka. Banff Jasper Collection is focused on creating unforgettable guest experiences while supporting the communities and natural environments in which they operate.
Financial Statement link to be updated August 2026.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Kootenay Tourism Summit in October!