Business tourism generates major economic impact

With Québec Tourism minister, Dominique Vien, and Québec City mayor, Régis Labeaume, in attendance, as well as business and community representatives, P.-Michel Bouchard, CEO of the Québec City Convention Centre and chair of Québec City Business Destination’s strategic committee, announced today outstanding 2014 results for business tourism.

By March 31 the Québec City Convention Centre will have hosted 156 events, including a remarkable 17 international conferences. It all adds up to 155,000 room-nights at local hotels, with economic spinoffs from some 210,000 convention goers estimated at $101 million. Another 27 international conferences and meetings will have come and gone by December 31, 2016.  

The wealth created by the Convention Centre is added to the economic impacts of hundreds of conventions and business meetings at other Québec City hotels throughout the year. The results generated by the Québec City Business Destination unified sales force after just one year of joint operations are already showing up throughout the area. A sample survey of hotel chains showed room sales for conventions up 5.5%, leading the province and other large Canadian cities.

“Business tourism creates wealth,” said Mrs. Vien. “The economic spinoffs announced today are concrete proof of it. I’m delighted to see the Québec City Convention Centre playing such an important role as a driving force for local business tourism. And hats off as well to the hard-working sales force at Québec City Business Destination, which was established a year ago to develop business tourism. It’s targeting 5% annual growth in the number of nights through 2018, so the future looks bright.”   

To illustrate what this all means, Québec City Business Destination and the Convention Centre produced a video featuring the people behind the scenes and on the front lines of business tourism.

“Results like these can best be seen through the people involved,” said Bouchard as the video was shown. “Jobs, quality of life, businesses on the move, food bank donations—that’s what business tourism means to the Québec City area.” See the video here (in French).

About Québec City Business Destination

Québec City Business Destination was founded in fall 2013 by merging the sales teams of Québec City Tourism and the Québec City Convention Centre into a single business tourism sales force. Guided by a strategic committee of decision makers chaired by Québec City Convention Centre CEO P.-Michel Bouchard, it works to attract conventions large and small, regardless of venue. This coordination of the efforts to sell and promote Québec City as a business tourism destination enhances everyone’s effectiveness.

About Société du Centre des congrès de Québec

SCCQ’s mission is to attract major conventions and events with an international calibre convention centre and exceptional service, positioning Québec City and area as a premiere destination for business events, thus contributing to the city’s economy. www.convention.qc.ca