During the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s (TIAC) annual conference this past November, it was reported that business events now accounts for 34.4 percent of all tourism in Canada, a big part of Canada’s US$71 billion tourism industry.

The HBGCC’s meeting space configuration, varying breakout room sizes and reception spaces all fit the NCBF’s goal of meeting several needs under one convention center roof. “Our group has several receptions and it’s nice to be able to host those in one facility rather than having to host them back at a hotel,” Torres says.

DECA, which helps high school and college students prepare for careers in business and entrepreneurship, typically hosts around 19,000 students, parents, teachers, advisers and other stakeholders at its annual International Career Development Conference

Florida — the world-famous “Sunshine State,” beloved by tourists from around the world — enjoys a special status in the association meeting industry: It boasts more high-quality and unique individual destinations than many other states. And what all of them have in common are two of the things meeting planners invariably say they look for […]

Things are different in Arizona: The mountains are sharper, the desert more dramatic and the contrasts greater. The destination is where the afternoon sky paints a reddish patina over this setting known for its Native American heritage and perpetual sunshine. Celebrating a plethora of perks — from authentic cowboys, distinctive cuisine and fashion-forward shopping to […]

All of this is conducted against a backdrop of 24/7 entertainment, gaming and endless nightlife — the “lost weekend” cliché for which this Sin City is also known. Needless to say, association meetings and conferences are a big business in Las Vegas.

As above, so below? Not so. The dark stuffiness of the casino experience — where there are no windows or clocks — makes it easy for planners to forget two of Atlantic City’s most persistent realities: its abundance of waterways, and its myriad venues for offering spectacular views thereof.

Colorado, a vast and beautiful state highlighted by the Rocky Mountains and featuring numerous individual destinations large and small, has become popular with meeting planners who want to escape a typical urban setting and enjoy spectacular scenery.

Small and large groups that repeatedly return to the Crescent City have a different kind of good time every time. That’s because New Orleans has everything planners need.

Texas is a big state with big options for planners. North, east, south or west, there’s a city that will welcome your group with Texas-sized warmth and hospitality.