CTC introduces Business Events Canada

Meetings, conventions and incentive travel sector gets a new name and new focus for 2013.

2013-01-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) means business. The meetings, conventions and incentive travel (MC&IT) unit is getting a fresh focus and a new name to take it forward: Business Events Canada (BEC). The change reflects the continuing importance of the meetings industry to Canada’s economy as well as the crucial role that meetings play in bolstering Canada’s international business aims.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) is working on a new global commerce strategy. DFAIT’s strategy has seven priority sectors where Canada holds a competitive advantage around which the BEC team will create a targeted sales focus: aerospace, agriculture and food, clean technology, infrastructure/engineering, information/communication technology, life sciences and natural resources.

Meetings and conventions held in Canada could stimulate future economic development in this country by grabbing the attention of influencers in each sector. Meetings can be the first spark that ignites the interest in Canada as a destination in which to invest.

Over the coming months, CTC’s Business Events Canada unit will be taking a deep dive into the seven sectors to better understand the industries with the aim of creating new targeted partnerships in 2014. The goals are to understand each business sector better, provide better resources, build corporate ties and obtain better access to speakers, university specialists and aligned associations.

“The strategic shift into Business Events Canada will create a powerful three-way partnership including DFAIT and Canada’s business champions,” says Greg Klassen, CTC senior vice-president Marketing Strategy and Communications. “We will show how meetings held in Canada can tempt international delegates from different industries to invest in Canada’s economy and enhance Canada’s brand reputation around the world.”

• Holiday spirit: CTC, Tourism Vancouver, Tourism Victoria and Tourism Whistler teamed up for the SITE SoCal holiday event, a fundraiser for charities, this past December. The group won first place for its table décor, but more important, all the toys in the Santa bag on the table went to critically ill children at Kristie’s Foundation. “Three years ago we decided that instead of spending a fortune on table décor we would support the charities,” says Sandi Galloway, CTC director, Southwest MC&IT Sales Development, Convention & Incentive Travel Sales. “The tears in the eyes of the ladies from Kristie’s Foundation and our first-place CSR certificate reconfirmed that we made the right decision.”

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