“Our message needs to be clearly delivered: access is easy, working with the city’s industry is seamless -- English being fluently spoken everywhere -- and that the quality of venues is hard to match,” says Luc Charbonneau, director of sales and marketing, business market, for Tourism Montreal.
 
“Plus, Montreal is a city that combines old-world charm with North American dynamism.”
 
No where more so than in Old Montreal (vieux.montreal.qc.ca) with its combination of cobblestone streets, Victorian street lamps, sidewalk cafes and lively restaurants.
 
Located on the old site of Chateau de Vaudreuil, and just steps from the Old Port, Old Montreal has retained its old European charm yet incorporated it with today’s changing North American landscape. Many of the city’s oldest buildings, which date from the 19th century, now house a number of unique boutiques, artists’ studios, meeting facilities and more.
 
“Old Montreal and its hidden courts, historical chateaus and unique rooftop terraces cater to the most exacting requests,” says Charbonneau.
 
For planners, Old Montreal is also just steps from meeting facilities that can accommodate groups from 10 to 10,000.
 
The Palais des Congres de Montreal (congresmtl.com), considered the local industry’s crown jewel, offers more than 330,000 square feet of rental space, including 65 breakout rooms, 200,000 square feet of exhibition space and a 50,000-square-foot multi-purpose room that is one of the largest in Canada.
 
Plus, an expansion in 2002 means the facility, which is the largest of its kind in the province, can now stage a large-scale international event or two medium-sized events at the same time.
 
“The Palais embodies the character of Montreal itself: festive, creative, artistic and resolutely contemporary,” says Chrystine Loriaux, director of marketing and communications for the Palais des Congres, noting upcoming events in 2009 include the 20th World Diabetes Congress (expected 12,000 delegates), and in 2010 the 21st World Energy Congress (4,000) and 101st Annual Convention of Rotary International 2010 (18,000).
 
For delegates, though, the Palais’ attractiveness lays in its accessibility to some of the most culturally-rich areas of the city, including the aforementioned Old Montreal, but also Quartier international, Chinatown and the downtown business core, the sum of which features 1,200 stores spread out over 15 kilometres.
 
Not to mention it’s a five-minute walk from some 12,000 hotel rooms of the estimated 26,000-plus rooms available in the Greater Montreal area, as well as access to other areas in the city such as Mont Royal and beyond.
 
“The mountain park, Mont Royal and its chalet overlooking the city’s skyline…certainly still impresses delegates from all corners of the world every year,” says Charbonneau.
 
The city of more than 3.6 million (Greater Montreal population) certainly has a vibrant feel to it that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, London-based Monocle magazine dubbed Montreal as the “Cultural Capital of Canada.”
 
The magazine credited the city for its strong arts community, booming gaming and aerospace industries and extensive network of free wireless Internet.
 
“It’s a combination of things,” says Charbonneau. “Beyond the immediate benefits both planners and delegates enjoy -- easy access, superb hotels and a centrally located convention centre for those larger groups -- Montreal offers planners the benefit of one-stop shopping.”
 
QUEBEC CITY

It might be just under three hours east of Montreal, but nearby Quebec City feels like it’s a world away.
 
The capital city of more than 715,000 (Greater Quebec City) boasts a rich 400-year history that’s caught the attention of meeting and event planners searching for something extraordinary.
 
“Québec City is fortunate in offering a European-style destination at a North America price. It’s like being in Europe without the jet lag,” says Helene Pomerleau, director of meetings and incentive travel for Quebec City Tourism.
 
Tucked in within its historic fortifications and perched high atop Cap Diamant overlooking the St. Lawrence River, it’s easy to see why more than 9 million people visit the city each year -- including more than one million from outside of Canada.
 
A quick walk through the historical areas of Chalesbourg, Beauport, Cap-Rouge and Wendake gives visitors a unique perspective on the city’s colorful French, British and Aboriginal ancestry. And sites such as the Citadel and UNESCO-recognized Vieux-Quebec fortifications combine with annual events such as the Carnaval de Quebec (carnaval.qc.ca) and world-renowned museums such as the Musee de la civilization (mcq.org) are considered the ultimate fodder for anyone looking to fill up on local culture and history.
 
“So after a day of meetings, participants can wander out and explore our destination and almost feel that they are a little bit on vacation enjoying an espresso on a sidewalk cafe or a leisurely stroll by the St. Lawrence River,” says Pomerleau.
 
Just a stone’s throw away from the city’s old quarters and its attractions are also a number of world-class meeting and event facilities that can accommodate everything from team-building seminars to international conventions.
 
The Centre des congres de Quebec (convention.qc.ca), for example, includes up to 33 meeting rooms and nearly 100,000 square feet of exhibition space, conveniently located just across from the Parliament building.
 
The facility -- which hosts 130 to 140 events every year, and welcomes some 200,000 visitors -- is the largest in the city, accommodating upwards of 7,500 attendees. It has the added bonus of being linked to nearly 1,000 hotel rooms, and in close proximity to more than 12,000.
 
And it’s not alone, with everything from the Colisee Pepsi to nearby Mont Saint-Anne offering event-minded meetings something that’s outside of the box -- and the boardroom.
 
“In Quebec City, our strength is that we work as a team, and when we need to put a proposal together we discuss different added value for the client and tailor the proposal to best suit their needs,” says Pomerleau.
 
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS

Already well known for its picturesque villages, holiday resorts and breathtaking vistas, the Eastern Townships region in southeastern Quebec is proving great meetings don’t always need the concrete jungle to survive.
 
In fact, organizers in the flourishing area just hours from the U.S. eastern seaboard pride themselves on offering an experience -- meeting or otherwise -- that transcends traditional walls and embraces its surroundings, whether that be wine country or cross-country, says Alain Larouche, executive director of Tourism Eastern Townships.
 
“We are just away enough from the big cities. The air is pure, the landscape is beautiful,” he says. “We can offer the same modern facilities as the large city hotels, and we have exquisite resorts.”
 
Originally divided into townships resembling the land grants of original New England and New York settlers, the region now encompasses a number of urban centres such as Sherbrooke, Granby, Magog, Sutton, North Hatley and Stanstead.
 
Each centre offers visitors a different perspective of the region: from cozy bed and breakfasts in the elegant Victorian village of Knowlton (knowltonquebec.ca) to an evening with the stars at the famed Mont Megantic Observatory (astro-canada.ca).
 
And with that comes added choice for meeting planners. The Townships boasts dozens of sites spread throughout the region that range from the centrally located Delta Sherbrooke Hotel and Conference Centre (deltahotels.com), which offers more than 17,000 square feet of available meeting space, to the five-star Ripplecove Inn (ripplecove.com), which is a 12-acre lakeside peninsula overlooking Lake Massawippi that offers 35 guest suites, as well as three conference rooms.
 
“Some of our inns are not too big -- around 40 rooms -- so it is possible to rent all of the hotel for a convention or meeting,” says Larouche.
 
Beyond blackboards and BlackBerrys, meeting delegates have plenty to keep them busy in the Townships. The region’s famous wine route features 16 vineyards that include meeting facilities, while adventure-seekers can choose from more than two dozen golf courses, half a dozen ski hills and 500 kilometres of cycling paths.
 
And for those searching for that elusive hidden gem, the Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac (st-benoit-du-lac.com) on the west shore of Lake Memphremagog gives visitors a unique glimpse into the contemplative religious life of Benedictine monks. Men are welcome to withdraw in retreat for a few days in an atmosphere of peace and meditation, while women are welcomed in a neighboring house run by nuns. Perhaps a Gregorian chant before getting down to business?
 
MONT TREMBLANT

Best known for its international downhill skiing facilities, Mont Tremblant is turning heads for its added blend of functionality, flexibility and downright fun.
 
Tucked within the majestic Laurentian Mountains, the village is actually located just over 10 kilometres from the world-famous Mont Tremblant Ski Resort (tremblant.ca).
 
Yet it’s also situated within a 1,500-square-kilometre national park that’s home to a wealth of added outdoor opportunities -- from dog sledding and rock climbing to hiking and golfing.
 
“You can decide to organize a ski group lesson, or even Olympiads,” says Annick Marseille, public relations and communications co-coordinator for Mont Tremblant, noting that virtually everything in the tightly knit mountain village is accessible within walking distance.
 
“You can do a rally around our pedestrian village, go rafting in summer time, zip-lining … or opt to treat your group with a sublime spa day at Le Scandinave or the Amerispa.”
 
For meeting planners, Mont Tremblant features more than 41 conference rooms at over half a dozen facilities that are directly accessible to some 1,900 guest rooms.
 
Among those meeting facilities is the Centre des Congres Tremblant (cdctremblant.com), with more than 20,000 square feet of conference space spread throughout more than a dozen rooms. The nearby Marriott Residence Inn (marriott.com) features four meeting rooms, 35 studios and 91 guest suites, while the luxurious Fairmont Tremblant (fairmont.com) offers 16,000 square feet of meeting space, including 19 meeting rooms and an 8,300-square-foot ballroom. The five-star Westin Resort and Spa (starwoodhotels.com/westin), with more than 4,000 square feet of conference space, includes six conference rooms that can accommodate up to 200 people
 
OUTAOUAIS

If variety is the spice of life, then Quebec’s Outaouais region is the secret ingredient for which many planners are searching.
 
And the good news is that officials in this 30,000-square-kilometre region opposite the nation’s capital are happy to share the recipe to their success.
 
“We have a great variety of products -- hotels, inns, restaurants -- which helps when it comes to accommodating different requests: small budgets or bigger ones, big or small places, downtown or out of town,” says Jill Mimeault, assistant director of partnerships and business development for Outaouais Tourism.
 
Encompassing the cities of Gatineau, Montebello, Pontiac and Maniwaki, the Outaouais region might be best known for Gatineau Park, a 363-square-kilometre national park that is a popular getaway for anyone living or visiting the area.
 
Located less than 10 minutes from Ottawa/Gatineau, the park offers a number of hiking, skiing, biking and riding opportunities. It is also home to five beaches, the famous marble-lined Lusk caves, 54 species of mammals and some 230 bird species.
 
And best of all, it’s steps from any number of meeting spaces in the region, including the 27-room Wakefield Mill Inn & Spa (www.wakefieldmill.com), which features a high-end spa, restaurant and four function rooms, each with its own unique character, overlooking the Maclaren Falls.
 
For those looking for a different type of adventure can take a moonlight snowshoe excursion (www.outaouaistourism.com) at the top of a mountain in Gatineau Park that’s led by a professional guide and storyteller, and complemented with port wine and dark chocolate.
 
And just 15 minutes from Montebello, La Table de Pierre Delahaye (www.latabledepierredelahaye.ca) is a gastronomical delight where Chef Pierre Delahaye and his wife Jacqueline offer an innovative cuisine composed of fresh products from Quebec served in an ancestral home.
 
“Meeting planners will be impressed by the presence of parks, paths, rivers and lakes,” adds Mimeault. “Where else could you do your morning jog along a beautiful river overlooking national museums and historic Parliament buildings?
 
New to the region for planners is a building at the Fairmont Le Château Montebello (www.fairmont.com/montebello) that includes more than 1,600 square feet of conference space that can accommodate up to 320 guests.
 
Plus, future regional plans call for a $15-million update to the Palais des congres de Gatineau and a new sports centre to accommodate the upcoming Les Jeux du Quebec 2010.
 

Filed under: Canada