2023 was a successful year for business tourism in Montreal
The Palais des congrès de Montréal hosted 288 events, for a total of 475 business events in the city. Of these, 224 association conferences were supported by Tourisme Montreal. In all, over 870,000 visitors and delegates from Canada and around the world flocked to the city, generating substantial economic spinoffs of around 425 million dollars for Montreal and Quebec.
"2023 proved that our industry is still flourishing, delivering new projects and events that helped promote the Palais des congrès, Montréal and Québec,” said Emmanuelle Legault, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal. “The dedication of our invaluable partners, as well as the devotion, expertise and enthusiasm of our team, have allowed us to reinvent the event experience, while taking our visitors on a journey through the riches of Québec, with a series of sustainable, cultural experiences that the Palais plans to develop further in 2024!"
Among the most notable gatherings were thirty conferences, including the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Annual Congress (5,300 delegates), the International Council of Nurses Global Congress (4,900 delegates) and the InCyber Forum (2,500 delegates).
This year, Montreal was once again ranked as the top host destination for international association events in North America by the Union of International Associations (UIA) and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).
"I am pleased to see that interest in business events continues to thrive in Montréal. This is a clear indication of the trust that the global industry places in our dynamic, creative and innovative destination,” said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. “We are delighted to announce that dozens of conferences have already booked venues in Montréal for 2025 and 2026, which reflects the city's growing appeal."
Looking to 2024, Tourisme Montreal has confirmed 210,000 overnight stays, which will generate 172 million dollars in economic spinoffs for the year's events. The Palais des congrès currently has 170 events on its calendar for the year. These include several summits, including the International Symposium on Mathematical Programming (ISMP), July 21-26, the 119th American Sociological Association (ASA) Annual Meeting, August 9-13, and One Young World, September 18-21.