Media Kit

Mary Putnam

Destination Overview

Where two rivers meet and endless horizons unfold, Kamloops invites visitors to explore at their own pace. Located in British Columbia's southern interior, this city of over 100,000 offers the rare combination of wide-open spaces, authentic experiences, and a welcoming community that feels like home.

Kamloops sits at the crossroads of four major highways, making it a natural basecamp for adventure. With over 2,000 hours of annual sunshine and a semi-arid climate, the region delivers four distinct seasons of outdoor recreation. Summer brings world-class mountain biking on 200+ kilometres of trails, fishing in over 100 nearby lakes, and rounds at 10 championship golf courses. Winter transforms the landscape into a powder playground at Sun Peaks Resort, one of Canada's largest ski destinations.

But Kamloops is more than its trails and fairways. The city is rooted in thousands of years of Secwépemc history, with cultural experiences offered through the Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park, Moccasin Trails guided tours, and the annual Kamloopa Powwow. A growing culinary scene showcases local wineries, craft breweries, and farm-to-table dining, while a vibrant downtown pulses with live music, festivals, and independent shops.

It's a destiantion where visitors find room to roam. To explore, connect and discover something real.

About Tourism Kamloops

The official Destination Marketing Organization for Kamloops, BC

Founded in 2005, the organization promotes Kamloops as a year-round destination while championing sustainable tourism and community-first values. Tourism Kamloops achieved Biosphere Certification in 2025.

Tourism Kamloops operates as a not-for-profit organization funded primarily through the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT), a 3% accommodation tax paid by overnight visitors. The MRDT accounts for the majority of the organization's revenue, with additional support from the City of Kamloops through an annual service agreement and select provincial grants. This funding model ensures destination marketing is largely self-sustaining, paid for by visitors rather than placing the burden on local taxpayers.

Destination Facts

Organization

Erik Fisher

Erik Fisher joined Tourism Kamloops as CEO in May 2024, bringing a decade of tourism and hospitality leadership to the role. Previously, he served as General Manager of Monte Creek Winery, where he transformed a startup operation into one of BC's most recognized wine destinations, expanding production capacity to 45,000 cases annually and attracting $10 million in capital investment.

Under Erik's leadership, Monte Creek earned accolades including the 2020 All Canadian Wine Championships Best White Wine of the Year and a 95-point Decanter gold medal. His commitment to industry advancement led to governance roles including Chair of Wine Growers BC (2015–2021), Director of Wine Growers Canada (2017–2021), and Director of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (2015–2020).

At Tourism Kamloops, Erik has championed initiatives that reflect the organization's community-first values. He launched the Freeride Fund with a $50,000 seed investment to support mountain bike trail maintenance, commissioned an economic impact study revealing mountain biking's $18 million annual contribution to the local economy, and oversaw the achievement of Biosphere Certification in 2025. His strategic vision centres on destination development that strengthens both the visitor economy and quality of life for residents.

Erik has called Kamloops home since 2014, where he lives with his family.

Bryan Pilbeam, Board Chair

Bryan Pilbeam was elected Chair of the Tourism Kamloops Board of Directors in December 2025. He serves as Chief Operating Officer of Invictus Properties Inc., part of the Armstrong Group and Rocky Mountaineer family of companies, overseeing a portfolio that includes Delta Hotels Kamloops, The Scott's Inn, Stills Co. Distillery, Cordo Resto & Bar, and the HIVE Office Building.

Bryan brings extensive hospitality leadership to the role, with previous positions including General Manager of Crystal Lodge in Whistler and General Manager of Delta Kamloops. His governance experience spans Chair of the BC Hotel Association, Past Chair of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and board positions with Tourism Whistler and the Hotel Association of Whistler. Under his leadership, the BC Hotel Association achieved its most diverse board composition in the organization's history.

Beyond tourism, Bryan is deeply invested in community. He currently serves as President of the Big Little Science Centre and sits on the board of the Day One Society. He has been recognized among BC's 500 most influential business leaders and continues to coach youth football in Kamloops.

Lisa White, Director of Community Development & Engagement

Lisa White serves as Director of Community Development & Engagement at Tourism Kamloops, a role she has held since May 2022. She previously spent nearly six years as Industry Relations & Communications Specialist with the organization, giving her nearly a decade of experience building connections between the tourism industry, local residents, and visitors. Her work centers on transforming Kamloopsians into tourism ambassadors while strengthening partnerships across the region's diverse tourism sectors.

Lisa is the creative force behind several signature Tourism Kamloops initiatives. In 2019, she helped launch Luv'n the Loops, a mystery bus tour program designed to help residents discover their own city's hidden gems. The program brought over 300 people on tours across 12 months and partnered with 65 local businesses before evolving into the Loops Explorer Pass during the pandemic. Building on that success, Lisa introduced the Loops Explorer Station, a mobile visitor engagement hub stationed downtown that significantly increased Tourism Kamloops' daily visitor interactions. Lisa also leads the Golf Kamloops marketing consortium, which generated $1.07 million in bookings in 2024-25, and hosts the annual Tourism Kamloops Career Fair at Thompson Rivers University.

Before joining Tourism Kamloops in 2016, Lisa spent over six years as Marketing and Member Relations Manager at the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce. She also served as Chair of the Business Advisory Board for Enactus Thompson Rivers and worked in sales and marketing roles at Talking Rock Resort and Sun Rivers Golf Resort. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Thompson Rivers University. A mother, golfer, mountain biker, skier, and fisher, she lives the Kamloops outdoor lifestyle she promotes.

Carmen Herman, Director of Brand and Marketing

Carmen Herman joined Tourism Kamloops as Director of Brand and Marketing in January 2026, bringing nearly a decade of destination marketing and organizational leadership experience. Most recently, she served as Interim Chief Executive Officer at Tourism Prince George, where she led the organization through a six-month executive transition. Prior to that role, she spent over three years as Director of Business and Destination Development, building tourism partnerships, advancing regional marketing initiatives, and strengthening the organization's industry relationships.

Before joining Tourism Prince George in 2021, Carmen spent over four years at Destination BC in progressively senior roles. As Coordinator of Marketing Co-op Programs, she served as the primary liaison with the provincial tourism industry, supporting collaboration across sectors, communities, and businesses. She later worked as Corporate Development Coordinator, managing regional partnership programs, budgets, contracts, and supporting reporting and planning. Her career in destination marketing began in Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Tourism Region’s Travel Trade and Travel Media department.

Carmen approaches destination marketing through a collaborative, community-driven lens, working alongside partners to tell authentic stories that reflect what makes a place compelling to visit, live, and invest in. A competitive swimmer and avid camper, she spends her time outside of work exploring BC with friends and family.