Describe your most recent event in Canada.
For the second time, we brought an all-day investors’ meeting for a large corporate client to Toronto. Partnering with The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto for out of town guests, we held the meeting at the Design Exchange in the Financial District, with lunch catered by Daniel et Daniel and an off-site dinner at Teroni Adelaide.
Did you have any major concerns about the destination that were dispelled once the event came together?
Having worked in Toronto numerous times before, we had no concerns. Cosmopolitan with state of the art facilities, its central North American location makes Toronto especially desirable for East Coast and Midwest attendees.
What did your attendees enjoy most about the destination?
They most appreciate Toronto’s excellent air access and high-end infrastructure, and that it is modern, clean and safe.
What makes Canada ideal for meetings and incentives?
I would say the sheer range and diversity of options for planners. My first event in Canada was the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, coordinating flights, ground transfers, dining and events for our corporate client’s U.S. and Canadian customers.
We have also held many meetings and incentives in Whistler, including a recent four-day corporate Global Leadership Conference at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. With our attendees most appreciating the hotel’s ski in/ski out location, the variety of alternate activities was extraordinary, including dog sledding, snowmobiling and a fireside chat with a local black bear expert. The wealth of dining options and entertainment made evening events a breeze.
Would you return?
Absolutely, and in fact, we are holding a large annual international corporate meeting this January in Vancouver. Last held in Istanbul, this is the first time it will be held in Canada. With Montreal and Toronto also vying for the business, Vancouver was chosen for its ethnic diversity, quality of product and convenient location to all corners of the world.
Do you have any advice for other planners who might bring a meeting to Canada?
Offering a value-added program to foreign meetings and conventions, cost savings included, Canada is an excellent choice for U.S. groups.