What's New

With hotel occupancies and rates in the United States skyrocketing to levels seen pre-September 11, 2001, Canadian destinations — thanks to relatively sane room rates and a still-weak currency compared to the U.S. dollar — are an attractive choice for incentive planners.

According to Smith Travel Research, which tracks lodging industry results, the average occupancy nationwide in Canada for 2005 was only 44.5 percent; hotels averaged $98 a night. Even in the most expensive market, downtown Toronto, hotel occupancy averaged half full, with rates of $141. (New York hotels were 83 percent full with a $212 average rate last year).

Adding to the value proposition, Canada remains a very visitor-friendly and diverse destination. There's world-class dining, multiethnic cultural influences, and lively arts offerings in the cities; pristine scenery, summer and winter sports, and outstanding spa facilities in the resort destinations; and distinctly Canadian heritage and customs throughout the country. It's also close by: San Francisco is two hours by air from Vancouver; Chicago to Calgary takes three hours, and cities such as New York and Washington, D.C., are 90 minutes or less by plane to Toronto or Montréal.

Facility Update

Alberta

• A modern boutique hotel, the HOTEL ARTS, opened in Calgary in mid-2005. A renovation of the former Holiday Inn updated the 188 guest rooms, added two restaurants, and expanded meeting space to 3,500 square feet.

• Nearly all 550 guest rooms at the FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE are new or have been refurbished as part of a $10 million renovation. The main lobby is scheduled for a $1 million facelift this year.

• More than 75 percent of the 446 rooms and cabins at the FAIRMONT JASPER PARK LODGE have been updated.

British Columbia

• The first phase of the WESTIN BEAR MOUNTAIN VICTORIA RESORT & SPA opened adjacent to Victoria's new Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club, which boasts the first Jack Nicklaus — designed course on Vancouver Island. The initial phase includes 65 guest rooms. The next phase, scheduled to open this June, will include a 4,600-square-foot conference facility, spa and wellness center, and 91 additional guest rooms.

• An expansion at the VANCOUVER CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE will add 359,000 square feet of meeting space, bringing the total to 492,000 square feet. Completion is expected in 2008.

• A renovation at VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT will add nine gates to the international terminal; expand customs, check-in, passenger screening, and baggage handling facilities; and equip the airport to handle new, larger passenger aircraft such as the Airbus A380. The work will take a decade. Currently, Vancouver International is one of the world's most accessible airports for passengers with disabilities.

• FAIRMONT HOTELS AND RESORTS is developing a hotel/condominium project adjacent to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre. It is expected to open in mid-2009 and have 415 guest rooms.

• SHANGRI-LA HOTELS AND RESORTS plans to open a new five-star hotel in downtown Vancouver in early 2007.

• A “Quiet Zone” at the FAIRMONT VANCOUVER AIRPORT hotel provides 19 day-rate guest rooms on a soundproof floor, all equipped with eye masks and earplugs. Guests with jet lag or who face an extended layover can pay an hourly rate to use a room for a minimum of four hours between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

• The 11,400-square-foot Spa Utopia and Salon opened at the PAN PACIFIC VANCOUVER in 2005. It includes VIP suites and conference facilities, and offers group rates for meetings and special events.

• The PAN PACIFIC WHISTLER VILLAGE CENTRE opened in July 2005. The luxury boutique property has 83 suites. Services include a 24-hour concierge, mountain base ski valet, guest lounge with complimentary breakfast buffet and afternoon hors d'oeuvres, heated outdoor lap pool, hot tubs, and fitness center. The resort has 920 square feet of meeting space.

New Brunswick

• Two hotels were converted to Crowne Plazas: CROWNE PLAZA FREDERICTON-LORD BEAVERBROOK has 168 rooms and nearly 10,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms; CROWNE PLAZA MONCTON-DOWNTOWN offers 191 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom.

Ontario

• Construction of the FOUR SEASONS CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, Canada's first purpose-built opera house, will be completed in Toronto this summer. The facility encompasses a 2,000-seat auditorium, a room that will seat up to 350 people; a rehearsal hall large enough for 150 seated or 250 standing; corporate and sponsor lounges that will hold 150 to 250 people; and hospitality suites that will fit groups of 10 to 25.

• Renowned architect Frank Gehry is leading a $207 million transformation of the ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO that will expand exhibit space by 47 percent and include new meeting spaces. Work is scheduled for completion in spring 2008.

• The CN TOWER in Toronto unveiled a new 1,100-square-foot meeting facility adjacent to the 144-seat Maple Leaf Cinema. The meeting space, at the base of the tower, can hold up to 90 people.

• New to Toronto's thriving boutique hotel scene is the COSMOPOLITAN TORONTO. It features 97 suites with 400 thread-count sheets and hardwood floors, and an “environmentally chic” philosophy that includes an energy-efficient infrastructure and eco-friendly cleaning products. Each suite has a full kitchen and washer/dryer. An “energy consultant to the stars” choreographed the “energy flow” within each element of the construction and design. Guests can consult with a lifestyle manager and receive a guided meditation CD. Three boardrooms are available for groups. The Solarium spa will open this year.

• The NATIONAL TRADE CENTRE in Toronto is adding a 75,000-square-foot conference facility and a hotel; both are expected to open in 2007. The center now has 24 meeting rooms and more than a million square feet of space.

• The 53-story RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL AND RESIDENCES, Toronto, will combine a 267-room hotel, conference and meeting facilities, restaurants, and a spa. Construction will start this year and is slated for completion in 2009.

• By the end of April, the SHERATON CENTRE TORONTO will have outfitted all 1,377 guest rooms with new furnishings and soft goods, complete with Sheraton's signature Sleeper Beds. A new lobby and other public spaces debuted in 2005; the grand ballroom was renovated; and expanded exhibit facilities and a new ballroom will be completed in September. The hotel will have nearly 100,000 square feet of exhibit space.

• PANTAGES SUITES HOTEL AND SPA completed a 6,400-square-foot single-floor conference facility with six boardrooms and banquet space for up to 200 guests.

• The WESTIN TRILLIUM HOUSE BLUE MOUNTAIN opened in 2005 in Collingwood. The 222-suite ski-in/ski-out resort includes a family aquatic center, 24-hour fitness center, and a 10,000-square-foot conference space with an executive boardroom, two ballrooms, and convertible meeting rooms.

Québec

• New to Québec City is HOTEL 71, a boutique hotel in the Old Port District. The 40 guest rooms are equipped with a DVD surround-sound system, wireless Internet access, down comforters, and luxury bedding. The hotel has 1,500 square feet of meeting space.

• A new meeting facility for up to 90 people opened last June at the 95-room AUBERGE SAINT-ANTOINE in old Québec City. The Explore Auditorium features an interactive response system and a giant screen for presentations. Additional meeting rooms are The Cabaret and Explore Lounge, each of which can accommodate as many as 100 people.

• The HOTEL CHATEAU LAURIER is adding 92 rooms for a total of 260 guest rooms. The expansion will also increase the number of meeting rooms from six to 16 and add a 275-guest ballroom, bringing the total meeting room space to nearly 15,000 square feet.

• The HYATT REGENCY MONTRÉAL spent more than $16 million to upgrade all 605 rooms and suites, swimming pool, fitness facility, and public areas and includes a new outdoor pavilion with room for 200 guests.

• MANOIR SAINT-CASTIN near Québec City recently finished redecorating public spaces. The 105-room property has 14,000 square feet of meeting space.

• Québec City's CHATEAU BONNE ENTENTE is spending $5.5 million on a new lobby and a 28-suite addition.

• HOTEL PLACE D'ARMES, one of Old Montréal's most popular boutique hotels, added 39 rooms and 48 luxury suites. The hotel also added a spa, a Vichy shower room, and a Turkish bath. The hotel has four meeting rooms and banquet facilities for up to 200 guests.

• All 126 rooms and seven meeting rooms at Québec Citys HOTEL GERMAIN-DES-PRES are being renovated; work is set to be completed midyear.

Ask the CVB

BANFF/LAKE LOUISE TOURISM BUREAU
(403) 762-8421
www.banfflakelouise.com
Total Hotel Tax: 11% (includes 7% rebatable GST and 4% Room Tax)

CALGARY CVB
(800) 661-1678, (403) 750-2370
www.tourismcalgary.com;
Total Hotel Tax: 11% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

DESTINATION HALIFAX
(877) 422-9334
www.meethalifax.com
Total Hotel Tax: 15% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

QUÉBEC CITY AND AREA TOURISM AND CONVENTION BUREAU
(418) 522-3511
www.quebecregion.com/e/
Total Hotel Tax: $2 night plus 15% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

TOURISM TORONTO
(416) 203-2600
www.torontotourism.com
Total Hotel Tax: 15% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

TOURISM BRITISH COLUMBIA
(800) 663-6000
www.hellobc.com
Total Hotel Tax: 17% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

TOURISM VANCOUVER
(604) 682-2222
www.tourismvancouver.com
Total Hotel Tax: 17% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

TOURISM VICTORIA
(250) 414-6987
www.tourismvictoria.com
Total Hotel Tax: 17% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

TOURISM WHISTLER
(888) 869-2777
www.whistlermeetings.com
Total hotel tax: 17% (includes 7% rebatable GST and 10% Room Tax)

TOURISME MONTRÉAL
(514) 844-5400
www.tourisme-montreal.org
Total Hotel Tax: 17.5% (includes 7% rebatable GST)

TRAVEL ALBERTA
(866) 511-1200
www.travelalberta.com
Total Hotel Tax: 11% (includes 7% rebatable GST and 4% Room Tax)

Phantom Planner

• The Canadian Tourism Commission recommends the following steps for a smooth border crossing:

  1. Contact the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency to register your event three months in advance.

  2. An assigned CCRA conventions coordinator will send a Letter of Recognition and assist you with any customs-related issues.

  3. Make a copy of the letter for everyone attending your event, including speakers.

  4. Keep a copy of the letter with all shipments of goods. CTC (www.canadameetings.com) also provides free guides that cover bringing meetings to Canada.

• At the border, a passport is considered the best identification, but a birth certificate and at least one photo ID will suffice for U.S. citizens. Don't be surprised to see long lines, and expect some questions from customs workers on arrival and departure.

• Keep in mind, also, that beginning December 31, 2006, U.S. visitors to Canada will need a passport to re-enter the United States by sea or air. Those returning by land will need a passport starting December 31, 2007.

Special Venues

• LE NORDIQUE SPA ET DETENE (www.lenordique.com), which opened 25 minutes north of QUÉBEC CITY in 2005, has a conference room for up to 20 and works with a local caterer to provide meals ranging from simple luncheons to five-course dinners. Groups can rent out the spa, located in a picturesque mountain setting on the Jacques Cartier River, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

• HATLEY PARK NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE IN VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, (www.hatleypark.ca) has developed five new incentive programs. Options at the 565-acre Edwardian estate include team geocaching; ghost tales, tarot card reading, palmistry, and similar activities; an evening in “Hollywood North,” complete with red carpet and paparazzi; and other themed events.

• EDIBLE BRITISH COLUMBIA (www.edible-britishcolumbia.com) can help to arrange half- or full-day culinary adventures such as a tour of Vancouver's ethnic markets, chef's tables at top restaurants, cooking classes, wine dinners, whiskey tastings, and more.

• With its striking design and acoustics, the CHAN CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS on the University of British Columbia's campus in VANCOUVER would impress any group. The Chan boasts three venues: the Chan Shun Concert Hall, which can seat 1,200; the flexible Telus Studio Theatre; and the intimate Royal Bank Cinema. All share a spectacular glass lobby that faces a mature evergreen forest and small outdoor patio.