Business Events Update - December 2023
A Positive Outlook for 2024 Incentive Travel
Incentive travel budgets are expected to be significantly higher in 2024 as planners are choosing more ambitious and creative itineraries. The Incentive Travel Index reports that 71% of programs are increasing their partnerships with destinations that are new to them. Incentives are moving away from cruise ships and urban destinations and are looking towards destinations like Banff and Lake Louise. This bodes well for us as we continue to position ourselves as Canada’s leading incentive destination.
Corridor Strategy Successes
This month, BLLT partnered with Tourism Calgary on an activation at the SITE SoCal Holiday Event, a popular annual event in California with over 600 meeting planners. We sponsored their prize draw, boosting our destination’s brand awareness with planners and supported their chosen charities.
A huge win this month came from The Society of Gynecologic Oncology (based in Chicago), who contracted one of our members, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, for their 450-attendee Winter Meeting in January 2027. This near buy-out booking was followed by a site visit to Calgary for their Annual Meeting.
Economic Impact Calculator Adopted
The BLLT team are pleased to announce the successful adoption and integration of the Destinations International Economic Impact Calculator (EIC) into our Business Events work. The EIC measures the direct impacts of events on businesses, employment, income, and taxes and is utilized by over 300 destination organizations worldwide. More updates to come as we continue to use this new tool in 2024.
In addition, our Community Impact Program (CIP) continues to receive positive feedback, this time from an association group: “Everything went well with the CIP…the people that did mention it to me overwhelmingly approved of the idea and concept of giving the funds back to the community. I’m just disappointed that this isn’t done elsewhere...”
Stellar Success Emerges from Our In-Destination Programs
We saw an opportunity with our values aligned partner and presented to marketing students from the University of Alberta who attended The Gathering Conference, a Banff & Lake Louise Tourism sponsored event. Our team spoke about working in Banff and Lake Louise, and in result of this, we received a promising application for our Coordinator, Content position. We look forward to attracting more enthusiastic and qualified applicants who want to work, live, and play in Banff and Lake Louise.
Further on, as a result of our in Destination hosting programs, SITE Exchange Canada and SITE ISA, we have received 11 leads so far totaling to an Economic Impact of $4,171,321 to our destination in the coming years.
To conclude, we held our fourth and final business events member Advisory Group on December 6. We celebrated successes from the year as well as development opportunities for 2024. We also took this opportunity to present the approved 2024 Business Plan. After the meeting a survey was deployed, and the results will be shared in the first Advisory Group meeting of 2024. The survey ensures these meetings are productive for all, and that the format of the meetings and content covered is aligned between BLLT and our members.
Express your interest here before February 9, if you would like to be involved in Business Events member Advisory Groups in 2024.
Coming up for the Business Events Team
- CSAE Tete-a-Tete – February 7. 2024
- SITE Global Conference – February 26 – 29, 2024
- Northstar SMU International – March 11 – 13, 2024
- InVoyage – March 17 – 20, 2024
Stay in touch with the Business Events team at meetings@banfflakelouise.com.