Destination Canada’s three-year Legacy & Impact Study highlights the long-term economic, social and environmental benefits of major events hosted in Canada. This case study examines the legacy of the One Young World (OYW) Summit, held in Montréal/Tiohtià:ke from September 18 to 21, 2024. Connecting emerging leaders from around the globe, the Summit catalyzed youth-led action…
The CDME program prepares senior executives, who want to advance their careers to blend theory with experience and application of knowledge to help industry leaders thrive in a constantly changing environment. The program focus is on vision, leadership, productivity and implementing business strategies. An approved CDME Application is required prior to registering for courses. Please…
The inaugural Advocacy & Action event will unite and reimagine two of DI’s most dynamic gatherings into one event dedicated to advancing purpose-driven destination leadership. “Advocacy & Action brings together the full spectrum of what destination organisations stand for — community resilience, brand stewardship, leadership and impact,” said Don Welsh, DI President & CEO.
Destination Canada has completed its first Climate Action Plan — a major step in its sustainability journey and a signal of Canada’s leadership in regenerative tourism. Together with its long-term conference impact research, it highlights the importance of minimising negative environmental impacts while maximising the positive societal impacts generated by business and professional events.
Business Events Montreal argues that destinations and the business and professional events they host should unapologetically push back against censorship, DEI “cancellation,” and anti-science climate-change denialism. It says safe platforms for civilised disagreement are vital for progress and believes this stance strengthens Montreal’s appeal for international meetings, aligning business interests with a firm moral position.
Prof Mike Duignan deconstructs the academically rigorous structure underpinning Destination Canada, #MEET4IMPACT and GainingEdge’s multi-year, multi-event impact research project, which is leading the way in developing insights on the key determinants and best models for measuring societal, scientific and business impacts. The five Vs are: Volume of data; Variety of sources; Velocity with which data…
The CDME program prepares senior executives, who want to advance their careers to blend theory with experience and application of knowledge to help industry leaders thrive in a constantly changing environment. The program focus is on vision, leadership, productivity and implementing business strategies. An approved CDME Application is required prior to registering for courses. Please…
More cities are designing or renovating their major meetings venues with the interests and needs of local citizens and communities front of mind, as well as accommodating the usual priorities of meeting organiser clients. This article highlights convention centres in Cincinnati, Dallas, Montréal, New Orleans, and Fort Lauderdale that exemplify this community-focused approach. From PCMA…
Business events have long been celebrated for their economic footprint, such as hotel bookings, venue rentals, and restaurant traffic. But what if the true power of a conference lies not in the delegate spend, but in what happens long after the lanyards are packed away? That question is at the heart of Destination Canada’s three-year…
When the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war forced the International Gas Union to move the 20th edition of the International Conference & Exhibition on Liquified Natural Gas from St Petersburg to Vancouver with only 14 months notice, no-one anticipated the invaluable addition of societal partnerships onto the conference agenda, enabling the event to communicate the…
Tourism faces constant challenges, but political instability has emerged as a critical disruptor. How do political shifts affect travellers and how can destinations stay resilient? TOPOSOPHY’s research, based on a 6-country survey and case studies, explores traveller perceptions and offers smart strategies for destinations to build trust and adapt, whether facing a crisis or preparing…
From Boardroom: From 27 to 30 May 2025, Calgary played host to Innovate Canada – Life Sciences 2025, the latest edition of Destination Canada’s signature event series. Designed to rotate across the country’s top-performing sectors and innovation hubs, Innovate Canada connects international associations with the research, business, and policy leaders shaping Canada’s future. This year’s…
From Skift Meetings: Visa delays, funding cuts, and geopolitical tensions are driving scientific conferences out of the U.S. Some are relocating. Others are canceling. The International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IACBT) canceled its August 14-17 conference in Nashville — its first U.S. meeting in 40 years. Approximately 900 were expected. Organizers cited visa uncertainty,…
From Northstar Meetings Group: During the IMEX Frankfurt 2025 trade show, Virginie De Visscher, executive director, business events, for Destination Canada, sat down with Northstar Meetings Group editor Lisa Grimaldi to share insight into her organization’s goals for tracking the impact that meetings, conventions and incentives have on destinations. During their conversation, she discussed new…
From Destination Canada: At IMEX Frankfurt, we shared insights that are reshaping how the global business events community thinks about legacy. Destination Canada’s Virginie De Visscher, together with The Iceberg, #MEET4IMPACT and GainingEdge revealed Year 2 findings of the Legacy & Impact Study—a groundbreaking initiative spotlighting the beyond-tourism benefits of business events.
Destination Canada’s Legacy & Impact Study examines the lasting economic, social and environmental impacts of up to 16 business events held across Canada between 2018 and 2024. This case study highlights the legacy of the CitiesIPCC Cities and Climate Change Science Conference, which inspired cutting-edge urban climate science research in Edmonton and beyond. …
From Skift Meetings: As U.S.-Canada tariffs take hold and cross-border meeting attendance dips, one veteran planner is helping associations rethink US-Canada event strategies. Some associations are moving events from the US to Canada, where favorable exchange rates, easier visa processes, and lower costs make it an appealing alternative. As the US dollar weakens under new…
From Destination Canada: In a world of uncertainty, tourism is one of Canada’s most stable and high-performing sectors, producing a total economic impact of $252 billion and driving growth in over 5,000 communities from coast to coast to coast. An independent report from Tourism Economics clearly demonstrates that the travel and tourism sector is a…
Attracting knowledge, investment, and talent to a destination as the 3 pillars of a Knowledge & Creative Economy requires an ability to attract -and convene – business and professional communities from all over the world. The City of Calgary, famed for its Stampede, has emerged as a round-the-clock meeting space for all manner of sectoral…
At Meetings Mean Business Canada’s March 27, 2025, Annual General Meeting, six newly elected board members were welcomed, bringing fresh perspectives, diverse expertise and strategic insights to help guide the organization’s future direction. The new board members include Susan Freeman (Meet PEI), Ingrid Jarrett (IJM Consulting), Andrew Weir (Destination Toronto), Carly Grace (Rogers Centre Ottawa),…
From Le Devoir: Cities are fighting over international conferences, whose economic benefits and influence are the stuff of dreams. In Canada and Quebec, organizations support municipalities and institutions that are trying to secure such events. In April 2024, the teams from Tourisme Montréal and the Palais des congrès de Montréal created the Collectif Savoir, whose…
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