Question Period Note: BUSINESS EVENTS TOURISM

How is the Government of Canada supporting business events tourism?

• The Government of Canada recognizes the value of business events, meetings, conferences and incentive travel as important sources of high value travellers to Canada.
• According to the 2019 Statistics Canada Visitor Travel Survey, business travellers attending conventions and events are Canada’s highest-yield tourists, spending at least two times more than other travellers.
• In July, the government launched a new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy—Canada 365: Welcoming the World. Every Day, that builds on Canada’s inherent strengths to ensure that Canada attracts more international events.
• Budget 2023 committed $50 million to Destination Canada to attract major international conventions, conferences and events to Canada.

• Destination Canada (DC) is a federally-owned Crown corporation with a mandate to market Canada as a premier tourism destination, and receives $96.2 million annually in parliamentary appropriations. Through its NorthStar partnership with provincial, territorial and destination marketing organizations, DC markets Canada as a premier tourism destination, and also markets Canada as a destination for business events, meetings and conferences. In 2023, DC is marketing Canada as a premier tourism destination in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and China.
• In addition to its main parliamentary appropriations and special funding from Budget 2023, the government is providing DC with $100 million between 2021-22 and 2023-24 through Budget 2021 to support the recovery of the tourism sector. This funding is being used to enhance leisure marketing efforts, as well as to work with partners to attract business meetings, events and conferences in economic growth sectors where Canada offers unique competitive advantages for hosting events and creating short- and long-term value for Canadian host cities. DC’s target sectors include technology, life sciences, natural resources, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, and finance and insurance.
• The Federal Tourism Growth Strategy announced by the government on July 4, 2023, identifies attracting international events as a pillar of the strategy that will bring more visitors to our country and extend the tourism season. Funding from Budget 2023 to attract international events, meetings and conferences will support the recovery of the tourism sector in large and mid-size cities, where most major business events are held, by increasing demand for these destinations. Business events also take place year-round and are less affected by the peak-season constraints experienced by leisure tourism. Strategically pursuing international business events to choose Canadian destinations as their host helps to bridge the gaps to grow the visitor economy.
• DC has a successful track record of helping attract high calibre international events to Canada. For example, in 2014, DC and its partners were part of an effort that succeeded in attracting TED, an iconic conference focussed on technology, entertainment and design, to relocate to Vancouver.

• Attracting high calibre business events will lead to increased exposure to Canada from business leaders and decision makers in priority economic sectors, creating opportunities for foreign direct investment and trade.

• In 2022, Destination Canada invested $13.6 million to promote Canada as a destination for business events, meetings and conferences, partnering with tourism sector partners, government, and the private sector to attract events to Canadian destinations.