Canada Calls: Event Planning Paradise

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Cost-effective, accessible and trendy

Are you a stateside planner looking for a change of scenery? Canada, our neighbor to the north, packs a hefty offering for event planners looking to entertain and entice guests.

Smart Meetings reached out to Laura Pallotta, regional vice president of sales and distribution of Canada Marriott International, who offered up some insights to the latest relevant travel trends for planners looking to sculpt an international experience.

Big Meetings Love Canada

Following Covid-19 pandemic, Canada is seeing the return of U.S. association customers.

“We’re also seeing a rise in corporate meeting and launch events with tradeshows and incentive trips. Canada is currently the top destination for incentive trips among U.S. and European buyers,” says Pallotta.

Some of the major cities that are being sought out by international travelers include Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal—what all these cities have in common is a cosmopolitan appeal and stellar convention centers.

Calgary is also an excellent choice for planners, with venues like Canada’s first purpose-built convention center, the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre. Planners also have the choice of the newly expanded BMO Centre, with 1 million square feet of space, making it the largest convention center in all of western Canada.

“This infrastructure, along with additional air lift into the market and incredible pre and post opportunities to visit the Canadian Rockies, makes Calgary an exciting option for meeting planners,” says Pallotta.

The Gen-Z Factor

To prepare for the future, it is always important to remember the kind of clientele you want to attract, and Canada is well-aware of who that is.

“Gen Z is our future traveler’s meeting planner and decision maker. Based on research derived from booking trends, it’s clear that experiences (and travel) are at the top of their list,” says Pallotta, “Marriott is building and evolving our portfolio of brands to meet those needs into the future including diversifying into apartments, mid-scale hotels that meet every budget, glamping and cruise offerings.”

Marriott has also opened Moxy Halifax Downtown and Moxy Banff, which Pallotta says is well suited for the Gen-Z demographic.

Read More: Gen Z Meeting Professionals Navigate Industry Challenges and Hope for Future

Marriott Bonvoy has also made substantial efforts in building local partnerships that allow for visitors to get opportunities. “Our partnership with Live Nation Canada provides our guests with one-of-a-kind opportunities like early access, premium seating, meet and greets and more,” says Pallotta.

Gen-Z travelers will also appreciate the outdoor activities available to them such as cycling and skiing (heli-skiing: off-trail, downhill skiing. Participants use a helicopter to get to remote mountain areas that aren’t usually reachable via ski lift.)

International Value

By selecting Canada for their next meeting, planners can expect get great value, despite concerns of inflation.

“Our hotel rates compared to most major U.S. cities are more cost effective—especially between November and April when hotel occupancies are more driven by business and group travelers rather than leisure,” says Pallotta.

If access is a concern, Pallotta says, “in addition to being very safe, we have convenient access through airline partners such as Air Canada/United; and Delta/WestJet and Porter are expanding to many major US cities. Border (drive market) traffic is also strong and provides easy access, as most large Canadian cities are within two hours of the U.S. border.”