Tourism trading floor at CTC’s major annual international marketplace yields millions of dollars for Canadian tourism industry

2013-05-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has taken down the banners and folded away the tables at the Ottawa Convention Centre, marking the close of another highly successful edition of Rendez-vous Canada (RVC).

The premier annual marketplace for the Canadian tourism industry took place May 12-15 in Ottawa,ON. Attendees drew inspiration from the Canadian experiences around them in the nation’s capital before three days of intensive deal-making on the high-energy tourism trading floor.

RVC provides a golden opportunity for Canadian industry reps and international buyers to close business deals and enjoy more informal networking in one venue. The 37^th RVC was a sell-out show: more than 1,450 tourism-industry heavy-hitters came to the Ottawa Convention Centre, concluding 22,200–plus one-to-one appointments. There were 396 reps from 305 buyer organizations in 2013, drawn from 22 international markets.

Attendees were wowed by a “Spirit of Canada” zone as soon as they entered RVC, a coast-to-coast map of Canada resplendent with powerful images to reflect the quality of tourism experiences in our country. The benefits of RVC are considerable, with this year’s marketplace yielding millions of dollars’ worth of tourism business. Attendees also made the most of a new RVC mobile app, which allowed them to manage their appointments, message fellow attendees and get local destination info on their smartphones and tablet devices.

RVC got underway with a series of CTC- and partner-led sessions that provided all the latest facts and figures from CTC’s key international markets. The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), gave the official introduction alongside Michele McKenzie, CTC president and CEO, at CTC’s opening-night reception at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

RVC 2013 also had its biggest ever international and domestic travel-trade media attendance, with more than 20 coming from CTC’s key markets to get the latest stories and product news from the Canadian travel industry.

“Ottawa provided an inspirational setting for 2013’s Rendez-vous Canada, with attendees drawing from its history, culture and rich culinary experiences to create a real buzz at the show,” saysMichele McKenzie. “RVC continues to innovate, combining business and a new smart app to deliver real results and revenue for Canada.”

Mark your calendars: RVC 2014 will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, May 27-30.

by CTC News Staff

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