Canada Calling: Event Planning Paradise

Economical, convenient and fashionable

Are you a stateside event planner looking for a change of scenery? Our neighbor to the north, Canada, offers a wealth of options for event planners looking to entertain and engage their guests.

Smart Meetings reached out to Laura Pallotta, regional vice president of sales and distribution at Marriott International in Canada, who provided some insights into the latest relevant travel trends for travel planners looking to create international experiences.

Big Conference Love Canada

Canada is welcoming back American association clients in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are also seeing an increase in the number of corporate meetings and launches, trade shows and incentive travel. Canada is currently the top destination for incentive travel for U.S. and European buyers,” Pallotta said.

Some of the top cities that are popular with international tourists include Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal – what these cities have in common is a cosmopolitan appeal and great convention centers.

Calgary is also a great choice for meeting planners because of the expansion of the TELUS Convention Centre Calgary. “This new infrastructure, combined with additional air transportation and great opportunities to visit the Canadian Rockies before or after a meeting, makes Calgary a great choice for meeting planners,” Pallotta said.

The Generation Z Factor

To prepare for the future, it’s important to always keep in mind the type of customers you want to attract, and Canada knows exactly who those customers are.

“Gen Z are the meeting planners and decision makers for our future travelers. Based on booking trend research, experiences (and travel) are clearly at the top of their priorities,” Pallotta said. “Marriott is building and evolving our brand portfolio to meet future demands, including diversification into residences, midscale hotels for all budgets, glamping and cruise products.”

Marriott also opened the Moxy Halifax Downtown and Moxy Banff, which Pallotta said are well suited for the Gen Z crowd.

Read more: Gen Z meeting professionals tackle industry challenges and look to the future

Marriott Bonvoy has also made a significant effort to build local partnerships to provide more opportunities for visitors. “Our partnership with Live Nation Canada provides our guests with unique opportunities such as early entry, priority seating, meet-and-greet sessions and more,” Pallotta said.

Gen Z travelers will also enjoy outdoor activities they can participate in, such as biking and skiing (Heli-skiing: Cross-country skiing, alpine skiing. Participants use helicopters to reach remote mountain areas that are not normally accessible via ski lifts.)

International Value

By choosing Canada as the location for their next conference, conference planners can expect to receive great value despite inflation concerns.

“Our hotel rates are more cost-effective than in most major U.S. cities — especially from November through April, when hotel occupancy is dominated by business and group travelers rather than leisure travelers,” Pallotta said.

If you’re worried about transportation, Pallotta said, “In addition to being very safe, we have easy access to our destinations through airline partners such as Air Canada/United; Delta/WestJet and Porter Airlines are expanding to many major U.S. cities. Border (self-drive market) traffic is also smooth and convenient, as most major Canadian cities are within a two-hour drive from the U.S. border.”