The home of the Calgary Stampede and a flourishing technology hub are just two of a billion reasons that make Calgary the perfect place to host your next meeting or event. Here are our top five reasons:
1.Venues
Calgary has two first-class convention centres that can accommodate groups of any size, and the incredible natural surroundings make attendance building simple.
By 2024, Calgary will offer more than 1 million sq. ft. of meeting and event space between two premier convention centres, which are:
BMO Centre
When it re-opens in 2024, the BMO Centre will be the largest convention centre in Western Canada. It offers:
- 65 meeting rooms
- 500,000 sq. ft. of saleable exhibit, meeting and banquet space
- 500,000 sq. ft. of pre-function and heart of house space
- 3 ballrooms of 50,000 sq. ft., 20,000 sq. ft. and 12,000 sq. ft.
The building has been purposefully designed to create authentic connections between guests. The huge common area features Canada’s largest fireplace, a perfect place for an enlarged fireside chat.
Calgary TELUS Convention Centre
Location and access are major benefits of meeting at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre (CTCC). The Centre is downtown, attached to 1,100 hotel rooms, and right next to the city’s train line. Its 122,000 sq. ft. includes:
- 36 meeting rooms
- 5 pre-function areas
- The largest room at 47,047 sq. ft.
- Theatre capacity of 4,000
Delegates can connect via the world’s largest pedestrian skywalk network that can take them to countless restaurants, cafes, and cultural attractions.
As well as the two flagship convention centres, Calgary offers offsite venues for teambuilding activities, additional breakout rooms, or space for pre/post functions. Explore this curated list of five unique offsite venues as potential host venues your meeting.
2.Destination experience
Calgary offers delegates and their families numerous exciting pre and post travel opportunities.
The city sits right where the prairies meet the Rocky Mountains. The stunning scenery of Banff National Park is only an hour’s drive west of Calgary. A 90-minute drive to the east will transport you to the Alberta Badlands, which provide dinosaur enthusiasts with endless opportunities to explore.
Click through the links below for more local travel inspiration in and around Calgary:
- Day Trips from Calgary
- 12 National Parks & Historic Sites Near Calgary
- 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Near Calgary
- Pre/Post Itinerary – Western Luxury
- Pre/Post Itinerary – Family Vacation
3.Service excellence
Planning an exceptional meeting is hard work, so a first port of call for organisers is the Tourism Calgary team, who can help make the process as smooth as possible with a complete suite of destination services.
Comprehensive event planning support is available including:
- Specific supplier recommendations, including support with sending out RFPs
- Local gifting options
- Prize packaging
- Organised site visit itineraries
To help ensure your meeting is well attended, Tourism Calgary can provide an attendance building package including postcards, swag, and table-top displays. Nearer the event, Tourism Calgary can also provide a custom microsite to give delegates all the information they need about visiting the destination.
Tap in to the sense of arrival in this ultimate host city. This is symbolized by the white cowboy hat that has become synonymous with hospitality in the city. Tourism Calgary can organise a white hat welcome at the Calgary International Airport for VIPs and a white hat ceremony for delegates during the event.
Attendees will feel welcomed as soon as they arrive in Calgary with signage opportunities available at the airport, the host venue, the host hotel, and with street banners.
4.Affordability
Every dollar you spend on a meeting goes further in Calgary. Alberta is the only province or territory in Canada without a sales tax. That means your meeting expenses in Calgary will be:
- 7% less than in Vancouver
- 8% less than in Toronto
- Nearly 10% less than in Montreal
Canadian destinations are far more affordable than those in the US given the currency exchange. This typically amounts to about a 30% cost saving. In addition, Tourism Calgary also offers a comprehensive financial assistance programme for qualifying events.
Discover more ways you can plan an affordable meeting in Calgary.
5.Accessibility
Location, Location, Location! The city is centrally located, meaning easy access for delegates from the west coast and to the east. Given the number of industries with corporate headquarters here, the city can also be a natural choice for many.
Another deal maker is a viable conference footprint. The proximity of the two main conference centres to hotel accommodation, amenities, services, and offsite opportunities means everything is within walking distance.
And, as for airlift, Calgary International Airport offers 33 non-stop domestic flights and 50 non-stop trans-border and international flights.
URL: www.visitcalgary.com/meetings
Contact details:
- Email – info@meetingscalgary.com
- Phone – 1 800 661 1678
- Website: www.visitcalgary.com/meetings
