Ottawa, April 9, 2019—Three of Ottawa’s pillar economic development organizations – Ottawa Tourism, Shaw Centre, and Invest Ottawa – are working together to bring more conferences and events to Canada’s capital by supporting local industry leaders in their international conference bids.
The new program, called ThinkOttawa, will provide complimentary support to local industry, academic, government, and non-profit leaders looking to raise the international profile of their industry, association, or research by championing a bid to bring a global, national, or regional conference to Ottawa.
Expertise and tools available to local leaders include bid development, marketing and promotional materials, venue and accommodation selection, partnership support, and financial aid for eligible events.
More than 1,900 technology companies and 400 associations call Ottawa home. For these organizations and many others, hosting an international conference or event creates the opportunity to make a significant contribution to their industry, share their knowledge on the global stage, and broaden their networks for increased impact.
In 2018, Ottawa hosted 16 international events, representing over 6,000 hotel room nights, which in turn create a positive economic impact for Ottawa. ThinkOttawa is looking forward to working with new local ambassadors to increase this number.
Industry leaders looking to host an international event or interested in submitting a bid to host a conference in Ottawa can visit www.thinkottawa.com for more information.
Quotes
“We are thrilled to partner with Shaw Centre and Invest Ottawa to help support local businesses in bringing their meeting, event, or convention to Ottawa. Through ThinkOttawa, we not only assist and engage our local community champions, but also raise our city’s international profile and ultimately strengthen the visitor economy in Ottawa.”
– Michael Crockatt, President and CEO, Ottawa Tourism
“We’ve witnessed first-hand the results of continued efforts by local ambassadors to drive tourism and generate economic activity in the nation’s capital by bidding on and winning more international conferences. Ottawa has a thriving technology and not-for-profit community that will benefit from the opportunity to showcase their efforts and leadership. Ottawa Tourism, Invest Ottawa, and Shaw Centre have the expertise to help these organizations succeed in this endeavour.”
– Nina Kressler, President and CEO, Shaw Centre
“ThinkOttawa will further build Ottawa’s global reputation as a leading business and tech hub, and create new innovation and business opportunities across key sectors and industries. Participating champions actively promote Ottawa’s competitive advantages worldwide – our expertise, research and development capabilities, business environment, and quality of life. This will help attract many new events to our region, as well as future business, talent, and investment.”
– Sonya Shorey, Vice President of Marketing and Communications,
Invest Ottawa and Bayview Yards
Media kit, including program logos, photos, video links, backgrounder, and press release available at: www.thinkottawa.com/media-centre/
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For more information please contact:
Nives Scott
Corporate Communications Specialist, Ottawa Tourism
613-237-5150, ext. 1131
press@ottawatourism.ca
For program information:
Faran Mirza
Program Manager, ThinkOttawa
613-688-9073
info@thinkottawa.com
www.thinkottawa.com
#ThinkOttawa
About Ottawa Tourism
Ottawa Tourism provides destination development and marketing, strategic direction, and leadership in cooperation with its members and partners, welcoming leisure travellers, business travellers, group tours, and conventions to Ottawa and Canada’s Capital Region. Its goal is to support the local tourism economy, fueled by an estimated 11 million visitors per year and with $3 billion in economic output for Ottawa, generating community wealth through tourism. Ottawa Tourism’s vision is to offer the complete capital experience, tell the story of Canada, and get people talking.
About Shaw Centre
The Shaw Centre is an architectural icon in the heart of downtown Ottawa. With 192,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space, it is ideal for conventions, meetings, trade and consumer shows, galas, receptions, banquets and entertainment. Step outside and you’re within walking distance of national sights and historic landmarks – including the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal – and 6,000 hotel rooms. Shaw Centre is highly accessible, an easy 20-minute commute from the award-winning Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Shaw Centre’s modern, minimalist design combines form, function and flexibility, from the expansive, pillar-free Canada Hall to smaller meeting spaces. The centre is fully accessible with leading-edge technology infrastructure, environmentally sustainable features and practices recognized industry-wide. In 2018, the Shaw Centre hosted more than 400 events, including 45 conferences, boosting Ottawa’s economy by over $167 million in direct spending from out of town visitors.
About Invest Ottawa
Invest Ottawa is the lead economic development agency for Canada’s capital, facilitating economic growth and job creation in the City of Ottawa. Guided by a vision to help realize Ottawa’s full potential as a globally-recognized, innovative and future-ready city, and the best place to learn, work, live, and play, Invest Ottawa delivers venture development and global expansion programs and services that catalyze the growth and success of entrepreneurs and firms. These include: small business training; mentorship; acceleration for technology firms; foreign business and investment attraction; local business retention and expansion in targeted sectors; commercialization; and marketing Ottawa’s diversified economy and high quality of life. Since 2012, Invest Ottawa has worked with thousands of startups, scale-ups and SMEs; helped firms to attract $322 million in capital; contributed to the creation of more than 6,350 jobs; and attracted $293 million in Foreign Direct Investment.
