Home - BC Wine Industry Insight Conference

Wine Growers British Columbia is excited to announce that the annual Insight Conference will be held in Penticton, BC, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. This year’s conference is designed to offer valuable insights and strategies tailored to BC winery owners, team leaders, and marketing professionals. Highlights will include the BC Wine Industry Recognition Awards luncheon, celebrating industry excellence.

Early Bird Pricing on Now! Take advantage of early bird savings (ends February 7), plus another $10 discount for members.

Member: $65+ early bird ticket (goes up to $75+ general admission) *use promo code
Non-Member: $75+ early bird ticket (goes up to $85+ general admission)

*Log in to your member account on WineBC.com to reveal the promo code.
For support accessing the member portal contact Info@WineBC.com.

Program

Subject to change

9:30 AM	Registration Opens & Networking Hour Begins
10:45 AM	Welcome & Keynote Address
12:00 PM	Industry Recognition Awards Ceremony Luncheon with BC Wine
1:45 PM	Afternoon Sessions Begin Speaker Session Topic: Artificial Intelligence Workshop Topic: Influencer Marketing Roundtable Topic: Wine Clubs
2:45 PM	Break
3:00 PM	Afternoon Sessions Continue Speaker Session Topic: Consumer Trends Workshop Topic: Tasting Room Hospitality Roundtable Topic: Winery Tourism
3:45 PM	Break
4:00 PM	Panel Discussion Session Topic to be determined
5:00 PM	Conference Concludes

Speaker Sessions

Michelle Bouffard
Founder, Tasting Climate Change

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Peter Pilarski
Founder, Tourism AI Network

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Keynote Address

Details coming soon…

Uncorking AI: Transforming Winery Operations and Marketing with Artificial Intelligence

Discover how AI can drive sales and build brand advocacy in this practical, results-focused session tailored for winery professionals. This dynamic workshop is designed to provide winery professionals with immediately applicable strategies to integrate AI into your marketing and operations, including tools and insights you won’t find online.

Learn about the AI Adoption Hierarchy and gain actionable takeaways from Tourism AI Network’s 5 transformative generative AI best practices for the wine industry. Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, see how generative AI can unlock new opportunities for your winery. Attendees will also receive free lifetime access to the Tourism AI Network’s AI Academy and an AI for Tourism e-book to continue their journey. Don’t miss this chance to transform your winery with the power of AI!

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BMO Wine Market Report

Details coming soon…

Workshops

Jenn Warrington
The Glue, WISE

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with Bram Bolwijn, Ultimate BC Wine Ambassador Award, 2024

Leeann Froese
Co-Owner, Townhall Brands

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Advanced Hospitality Techniques Workshop

People don’t remember what you do, they remember how you made them feel. In this session, we’ll delve into techniques for building loyalty with guests throughout their tasting experience to not only make a more effective sale, but to also connect emotionally to drive long-term relationships. And along the lines of how we make people feel, this session will also give the team more confidence in ways to saying no with grace and empowering staff to work through difficult situations such as limited inventory, handling negative press, etc. Attendees will learn how to maximizing basket size at the cellar door by creating unique experiences, even in difficult circumstances.

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Take a deeper dive into this topic with Jenn at a follow up WISE workshop ‘Train the Trainer’ taking place Thursday, March 13 following the Insight Conference. Learn more here.

Influencer Marketing – Should I Do It?

Reaching younger Canadians is harder than ever. A research study showed that young consumers have developed “ad blindness”, a phenomenon where they automatically ignore or mentally filter out traditional display ads. Digital influencers are the new trusted voice. But when they visit wineries, they don’t spit, they disrupt to take photos, and often don’t tip! But like it or not, Digital Creators are the newest kind of ‘media’, and they should be part of a winery’s marketing plan. So where do you start?

This session will offer an express overview of the essentials of working with digital content creators/influencers: how to navigate rate cards, vet creators, and set contracts. Learn the good, bad, and ugly of influencer collaborations, the difference between content creators and influencers, and the value of building long-term relationships over ad-hoc partnerships. We’ll also touch on how to co-create impactful social media content while staying compliant with alcohol promotion rules. Considering content creators and influencers a part of your winery’s strategy? Let’s get started!

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Roundtable Discussions

Krissy Neilsen
Founder, Krissy Neilsen Communications

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Erin Hodgins
Director of Research & Analytics, Destination BC

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Accompanied by Kim Barnes, Marketing Director, Wine Growers British Columbia

Wine Club Manager’s Roundtable

Join us for a roundtable discussion tailored for those who manage and oversee wine clubs and subscriptions. Whether you’re looking to refine your strategy or tackle new challenges, this session offers a unique opportunity to come together and share insights. We’ll dive into the most pressing questions, address common concerns, and explore best practices and industry tricks of the trade. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions and topics ahead of time, which will serve as the foundation for our discussion. With Krissy at the helm, the session will focus on addressing these themes, providing expert guidance, and fostering a collaborative exchange of ideas.

This roundtable is designed to create a space for wine club and subscription professionals to connect, learn, and brainstorm—whether you’re exploring fresh event ideas, seeking value-added strategies, or evaluating what’s working and what’s not. Join us to spark new ideas and strengthen your club’s success in this ever-evolving landscape.

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Driving Tourism to Your Winery: Leveraging Destination BC Insights

Tourism is a cornerstone of BC’s wine industry, offering significant opportunities for growth and engagement. This session combines expert insights and interactive discussion to help you harness the power of Destination BC’s research and tourism forecasts for the 2025 season. The first half of the session will feature a presentation by Destination BC, sharing valuable data on tourism trends, market insights, and forecasts to guide your strategic planning. In the second half, a facilitated roundtable will provide an opportunity to collaborate with peers, exchanging ideas and exploring ways to apply these insights to drive visitation and elevate your winery’s presence within BC’s tourism landscape.

This session is designed to leave you with practical strategies and inspiration to align your winery’s marketing efforts with provincial tourism trends, creating impactful visitor experiences while contributing to a sustainable, thriving industry.

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