Get to Know Our Team: Meet Kayla Meecham!
From Kamloops Ambassador to Tourism Kamloops Content Specialist, meet the newest member of our team!
Some career moves just feel like they're meant to be. For Kayla Meecham, joining Tourism Kamloops is a bit of a full-circle moment. Born and raised in Kamloops, Kayla has always had a passion for her hometown, and now she's turning that local love into a career opportunity focused on sharing the stories, experiences and people that make our destination special.
We're excited to welcome Kayla to Tourism Kamloops as our new Content Specialist, joining the team for the next year. With a background in social media, content marketing and hospitality, she's bringing plenty of creativity, industry experience and a fresh perspective to the stories we share about Kamloops.
A Kamloops Local with a Passion for Storytelling
A Kamloopsian through and through, Kayla studied Communication in New Media with a minor in Marketing at Thompson Rivers University. Partway through her degree, a co-op opportunity with BCLC turned into a marketing career, where she spent more than three years developing her skills in social media and content creation.
Most recently, Kayla worked as a Marketing Coordinator in the hospitality industry, managing marketing for a portfolio of eight hotels and two restaurants across British Columbia and Alberta. It was a role that required plenty of creativity, organization and the ability to juggle different brands, audiences and priorities, all while keeping the needs of travellers front and centre.
Working on the hotel side of tourism gave Kayla valuable insight into what visitors are looking for, what inspires them to explore and what ultimately turns an idea for a getaway into a booking.
"I'm bringing a scrappy, get-it-done mindset and a real appreciation for our industry partners and what they need from destination marketing."
For Kayla, the magic of marketing has always been in storytelling. She's fascinated by how a great story can make someone feel something and inspire them to take action. Social media, in particular, has become a favourite creative outlet because of its ability to connect with people in real time and see what resonates.
Bringing Kamloops Stories to Life
As she settles into her new role with Tourism Kamloops, Kayla is especially excited to dive into short-form video content and find creative ways to showcase the destination.
From local hidden gems and unique experiences to the people behind Kamloops' businesses, she's looking forward to experimenting with new formats, exploring trends and finding fresh ways to tell the stories of our tourism industry partners.
"It's such a fun and powerful way to show off everything that makes Kamloops special, from hidden gems to the people behind our local businesses."
Having worked directly in hospitality, Kayla understands the importance of connecting destination storytelling with the businesses and experiences that welcome visitors every day. She's excited to bring that perspective to Tourism Kamloops and help shine a spotlight on the people and places that make our community worth exploring.
And when it comes to what she loves most about Kamloops, it's not just the scenery, although those golden hills at sunset certainly have a special place in her heart.
"Kamloops has a way of feeling like a big city and a small town at the same time. People here show up for each other, and there's always something happening if you know where to look."
A Few Kamloops Favourites
As a lifelong local, Kayla has no shortage of favourite spots around the city. If she were showing someone Kamloops for the first time, the BC Wildlife Park would be her first stop, followed by a visit to the Kamloops Farmers' Market for some local goodies and dinner at Jacob's Noodle and Cutlet.
Her own perfect Kamloops day moves at a slightly more relaxed pace, starting with a slow morning and a latte from Frankly Coffee and Bistro before a walk through Riverside Park. From there, she'd browse Far & Wide and Crooked Crown, wander along Victoria Street and pick up a sandwich and pepperoni stick from Fratelli Foods for lunch in the sunshine.
The afternoon would take her to Pineview Valley Park, camera in hand, to explore the trails and duck ponds before heading out for dinner at Maurya's with her partner, Caleb. And to wrap it all up? A movie at the Paramount Theatre, complete with popcorn, of course.
Outside of work, Kayla describes herself as a serial hobbyist. From knitting and crocheting to cross-stitching, she's always exploring something creative and believes hobbies should be about having fun rather than getting everything perfect. When she's not working on her latest project, you'll likely find her spending time with Caleb and their cat, Nova.
And a few other things worth knowing about Kayla? She's a serious coffee enthusiast, prefers lake days over mountain adventures, has a soft spot for chocolate and loves summer, even if her fair skin doesn't always agree. When it comes to social media, TikTok wins for scrolling, while Instagram is her favourite place to post.
A Full-Circle Kamloops Moment
One of our favourite things we learned about Kayla is that her connection to tourism actually started long before her professional marketing career.
From 2017 to 2018, Kayla served as a Kamloops Ambassador, representing the city and sharing her hometown pride with others. It was one of her first opportunities to showcase the community she loves, making her new role with Tourism Kamloops feel like a natural next chapter.
Now, several years and plenty of marketing experience later, she's back to doing what she loves: sharing the stories of Kamloops and inspiring others to discover everything our destination has to offer.
We're thrilled to have Kayla joining our team for the year ahead, bringing her creativity, local knowledge and enthusiasm for storytelling to Tourism Kamloops. We know she'll have plenty of opportunities to connect with our incredible industry partners, discover new stories and showcase the people and businesses that make Kamloops special.
Welcome to the team, Kayla! We're so excited to have you here.
As Kayla gets settled into her new role, we encourage our industry partners to reach out, introduce themselves and share the stories, experiences and hidden gems that deserve a little extra spotlight. Whether you've got a great content idea, an upcoming event or simply want to say hello, she'd love to connect!
Connect with Kayla:
