Canada’s Walk ‘n Talk’ at Convening Leaders is a natural hit
Destination Canada exercised bodies as well as minds during the recent Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Convening Leaders annual event in Houston, Texas. The Canada team hosted a special activation – a “Walk ‘N Talk” outdoor breakout session offering education and some thoughts on best practices for sustainable business events while encouraging participants to experience learning in nature.
The idea, said the Canada team, was to encourage participating delegates to ‘Leave Inspired. Not Tired’. Wearing Canada branded red headsets, PCMA Convening Leaders delegates headed outside for a conference break with the Canadians into the great outdoors, making their way around the Discovery Green park outside the George R. Brown Convention Centre in Houston.
They listened to an inspirational livestream session by Lori McCarthy, (pictured below) a TED speaker, cultural storyteller, and forager from Newfoundland and Labrador. Participants were later able to meet McCarthy in person at the Canada booth at the convention.
McCarthy’s session guided listeners through strategies to design events that incorporate culture, foster reciprocity, and craft sensory-rich atmospheres connecting people to place and purpose. The underlying message was also that, beyond the walls of meetings in Canada, nature is minutes away with thriving post event opportunities for delegates. The session can be accessed here and you are advised by Destination Canada to give it a listen while walking in nature.
The unconventional breakout session supports Destination Canada’s multi-year marketing campaign, ‘Leave Inspired. Not Tired’ – a response to research showing that delegates increasingly crave new ideas and perspectives, yet continue to leave business events feeling drained rather than inspired.
“Walking through the Discovery Green was so wonderful. It was invigorating, and I feel so relaxed coming back in,” was delegate Cindi Webber from AV Chicago’s reaction to the outside session. “I’m really grateful for the experience.”
“Business events don’t have to be mundane or cookie-cutter. In fact, in Canada we strive to host events that are unconventional and inspirational,” says Virginie De Visscher, executive director, business events at Destination Canada. “Our eagerness to share Canada’s outdoor beauty with international business event visitors pairs naturally with a commitment to sustainability leadership. Across the country, we warmly welcome delegates to responsibly explore outdoor spaces while showcasing the inspiring people and groundbreaking innovations leading our priority sectors including Advanced Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Digital Industries, Life Sciences, Natural Resources and Finance & Insurance.”
In addition to the outdoor breakout session, Destination Canada shared highlights from its new Sustainability Storybook. Part of the award-winning Canadian Business Events Sustainability Plan, the storybook shares initiatives from communities that host business events along with turnkey solutions to inspire and challenge decision-makers, planners, sustainability professionals, and host destinations.
“Learning how to incorporate sustainability into event programming in a way that helps organisations thrive is a top priority for us.” said De Visscher. “Combined with discovering how to design purposeful events with sensory-rich experiences that connect people to place helps elevate a delegate’s learning experience.”
Images courtesy of Destination Canada
