For the quarter ending September 30, 2012, the Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal has confirmed it has secured a total of 102 events. These include seven new international1 conventions which alone will attract over 11,000 business tourists who will generate nearly $27 million for the city’s economy. Secured primarily with the cooperation of the Société’s long-standing partner Tourisme Montréal, the conventions will result in nearly 24,000 room nights being booked in hotels across the city. In terms of trade shows, five events have been newly confirmed, which will be attended by 12,000 participants and generate economic spinoffs estimated at almost $12 million.
Overall for the first semester of 2012-2013, the Palais confirmed 202 events for the coming years, including the ASME 2014 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition and the Airports Council International World and North America Conference & Exhibition 2016. The Palais therefore performed comparably to the same period last year. These events – i.e. 20 conventions, 20 exhibitions and 162 conferences, meetings and special events – will help attract over 190,000 business tourists to Montréal and the province, and generate total economic spinoffs exceeding $82 million.
“We are pleased we were able to record appreciable results even as the global economy continues to falter. Our development and promotional efforts in the last two years are bearing fruit,” explains Marc Tremblay, President and CEO of the Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal. “America’s top host city for international events2, and shortlisted for the APEX award for World’s Best Convention Centre3, Montréal and the Palais are highly favourably regarded worldwide, as they continue to actively contribute to the city’s development and deliver an experience you cannot find elsewhere,” adds Tremblay.
Among large-scale events, the Palais hosted eight conventions and eight consumers and trade shows during the course of the quarter, which were attended by nearly 70,000 participants and generated over $32 million for Montréal. The conventions included the UICC World Cancer Congress, which the city secured thanks to the involvement and dedication of Dr. Michel Gélinas and Dr. Eduardo Franco, Executive Ambassador and Emeritus Ambassador, respectively, of the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
Also noteworthy during the quarter was the exciting rollout of a major phase of the Palais’ ambitious hi-tech modernization project. And in the third quarter, the launch of its new network infrastructure will make possible up to 20,000 simultaneous wireless connections and one gigabyte bandwidth. This extensive undertaking will make the Palais an event technology leader in America.
Year-to-date events confirmed for future years (April 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012)
International and national conventions: 20
Estimated room nights: 38,100
Estimated economic spinoffs: $55,932,386
Projected results from conventions hosted (April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013)
International and national conventions: 32
Estimated room nights: 91,190
Estimated economic spinoffs: $124,307,455
