Montréal Tops ICCA Rankings of Popular Cities for Conventions

Palais des congrès

Montréal has hosted the most international conventions in all of North America, according to the Country and City 2016 rankings released by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), which were released to the public on Monday, May 8th.

Montréal held 76 events at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, and its universities and hotels. These events attracted nearly 37,000 business travelers and delegates to the city—21 percent more than the runner-up destination. The last time Montréal finished atop the North American rankings was 2013.

“The excellent work performed by the Palais des congrès and its Ambassadors, by Tourisme Montréal and all the tourism and institutional partners, is generating remarkable results, including a top spot in international rankings like the ICCA’s,” said Raymond Larivée, president and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

“It’s easy to do business in Montréal. There’s a synergy among the city partners, the quality of the services offered by local experts is outstanding, as is the opportunity to interact with influencers from various industry sectors, not to mention the increase in number of flights, which makes the city even more accessible. I would like to point out the excellent of everyone involved,” said Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

“I salute the collective effort that continues to nurture Montréal’s international standing. Business tourism is of capital importance for the city’s hospitality community,” declared Eve Paré, president and CEO of the Hotels Association of Greater Montreal.

Satisfied attendees

In a poll conducted by the Ipsos research firm for Tourisme Montréal, 95 percent of leisure and business tourists responded they were satisfied with their experience during their stay in Montréal in 2016. Also, 97 percent of business tourists would recommend Montréal to work colleagues and business contacts.

“We provide an infrastructure that meets the needs of major international associations, and we are proud of our role in nurturing Montréal’s reputation as a premier destination,” said Chrystine Loriaux, director of marketing and communications at the Palais des congrès.