Now that the warm weather is here, event planners are gearing up for a season of outdoor concerts, weddings and retreats. And surely, no matter what type of events are on your calendar, using the outdoors to your advantage can create a refreshing experience for attendees, assuming it’s done right. There is no shortage of benefits to embracing the Great Outdoors. Physical and mental health advantages include vitamin D production, which in turn increases positive moods, enhances focus, and lowers…
Industry Insights
Rich heritage, dynamic cuisine: Québec City’s must-see culinary scene
Every city has its specialties. Every region has a flavour. Discovering what makes a destination’s culinary scene unique can go a long way toward making any event pop. And in the case of Québec City, there is plenty to discover. “Québec City is a North American city with a rich European culinary heritage,” says Chef Jean-Pierre Cloutier, who serves foodies from around the world from the kitchen at the Québec City Convention Centre. “Chefs here are deeply inspired by a rich…
When events “give back”: Adding charitable elements to meeting plans
Good things can happen when people come together. This is as true for the boardroom as it is for charitable initiatives, and it’s a truth that’s inspiring organizations to make “giving back” a focus in their meeting and event plans. “Why not leverage a positive group environment where attendees are already brought together to achieve a common goal?” affirms Paula Racher, Account Director with Niagara Falls Business Events (NFBE). “The unifying effect of completing a CSR (corporate social responsibility) component…
Embracing the “new” in Québec City
The promise of new sights, surroundings, and adventures can be a powerful draw for event invitees. This is especially true in Québec City where a mix of historic ambiance and fresh experiences continues to draw tourists and event planners from across the globe. Québec City’s most recent draws include several new venues throughout the city. The Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury, for example, offers a blend of cutting-edge amenities and vintage atmosphere, and hosts large-scale functions of up to 1,300 guests. Originally…
Engaging Attendees with Event Technology
Q&A with Anthony Vade, Experience Architect at FMAV Events have always been about creating experiences. That, and ensuring attendees walk away with the brand messages and key takeaways intended by the event’s planners and stakeholders. This is a worthy goal on paper, but how does one do that effectively, and how can technology help create that lasting impression? Here to discuss the role technology plays in helping event professionals design better experiences is FMAV’s Anthony Vade. How can technological solutions be used…
First-Rate Event Security Starts with a Seamless Plan
For event planners, it goes without saying that creating a memorable guest experience is a critical aspect of the job. But what about those “behind-the-scenes” components delegates can’t see or taste? While crisp acoustics and scrumptious cuisine, prominent guest speakers and dazzling party venues, are all part and parcel to what make an event successful, seamless security and risk preparedness are every bit as important—if not, more so. Gone are the days when a slippery floor or a loose guardrail…
Québec City Ranks 3rd Among Canadian Sports Destinations
Québec City has scored high on a Canada-wide list of sporting destinations. This March, the Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance (CSTA) launched its inaugural Global Sports Impact (GSI) Canada Index, listing the capital city as the third-most active and popular destination for national and international sporting activities. “This recognition is amazing for Québec City,” says Pierre-Michel Bouchard, CEO of Québec City Business Destination. “It confirms our expertise and know-how to organize and hold sports events.” Québec City is certainly no stranger to hosting…
The Palais des congrès de Montréal celebrates 35 years
In 1975, when a major study was released proclaiming Montréal’s tourism potential, the idea of building a convention centre was born. Eight years later, the Palais des congrès de Montréal ushered guests through its doors and hosted its first international event: The 8th International Congress of Plastic Surgery, one gathering that helped build the city’s now thriving life sciences industry. The Palais has been actively contributing to Québec’s international reputation ever since. This year, as the conference centre celebrates its 35-year…
In With the Old. In With the New.
Saying Québec City has aged well would be an understatement. For four centuries and counting, the Québec capital has enjoyed a never-ending Renaissance that has made it one of Canada’s top cultural hotspots and a popular destination for tourists and event planners alike. “Québec City is so easy to sell,” says Fernand Gervais, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Université Laval, “It’s a promotional tool unto itself. It is a quintessential European city in the heart of North America.”…
Urban Agriculture Lab Sets Green Standard
More people are living in cities than ever before, and some believe that 66 per cent of the world’s population will be urban by 2050. As urbanization increases, encroaching onto rural areas currently used for agriculture, researchers are looking for ways to create more livable cities and boost local food supplies. On the rooftop of the Palais des congrès de Montréal, researchers are experimenting with new techniques in urban farming at the Urban Agriculture Lab. Situated on 33,500 square feet…
