Business Events Update - May 2024
Meeting Sustainability Demand from Business Event Clients
The 10-Year Vision for Tourism and initiatives like the Community Impact Program have put the destination in a competitive position in the business and incentive travel markets. Insights from The Meetings Show Asia Pacific recently emphasized the importance business clients place on sustainability and community impact.
In the U.K., our own survey of events agencies also highlighted larger organizations’ prioritization of sustainability. This underscored the destination’s appeal, although long-haul transportation is a consideration. While Vancouver and Whistler were better known amongst respondents, there was strong interest in FAMs to increase awareness of Banff and Lake Louise. The current exchange rate positions Canada as a premium destination.
In the U.S., we joined with Tourism Calgary to promote our sustainability efforts at Society of Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) events in Georgia, California and Texas. Attendees received co-branded reusable water bottles with a customized QR code to track refills. Manufacturer Fill it Forward will make a donation to Wine to Water for each scan, helping provide water filters to families in refugee camps or after natural disasters. During May, we also attended SITE NITE Europe 2024 and IMEX Frankfurt to gauge European interest in the destination. At the Wall Street Journal Future of Everything Festival, sponsored by Destination Canada, we hosted a number of business and incentive clients, as well as promoting the mountains through our partnership with Tourism Calgary.
Elevating Destination Sustainability
BLLT partnered with the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and Skift on a marketing collaboration to boost awareness and discussions on sustainability, community impact, and purposeful travel. We aim to position Banff and Lake Louise as top sustainable destinations for meetings and events. Through the joint approach, we will target planners who prioritize sustainability when selecting event locations. Known for its trend-setting industry content,
Skift is ideal for this collaboration.
Stellar Results from Community Impact Program
The Community Impact Program (CIP) had an outstanding month, demonstrating both the significant demand for sustainable choices from business and incentive clients, and the program’s potential as a differentiator to help convert leads. In just two weeks, CIP generated $90,000 in revenue – dollars loaded onto CIP cards to be spent locally – and $1.5 million economic impact to the destination. We raised over $3,000 in donations, benefitingorganizations including Banff Canmore Foundation (BCF) and its Truth and Reconciliation Fund, Yellowstone to Yukon, and Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley.
Coming up for the Business Events Team
- SITE ISA, St. Johns, Newfoundland – July 15 – 18, 2024
- CMEE – August 13 – 14, 2024
- IBTM Americas, Mexico City, Mexico – August 18 – 24, 2024
- Martiz Activate, National Harbour, Maryland – August 26 -28, 2024
Stay in touch with the Business Events team at meetings@banfflakelouise.com.