Battered by the pandemic, meeting and convention venues had an exceptional period in 2023-2024 in the Capitale-Nationale region. Their calendar was overflowing with events. Even though there has been a certain slowdown this year, the business tourism industry is not idle.
Caroline Lepage took the helm of the Quebec City Convention Centre in April 2024, after the 17-year reign of Pierre-Michel Bouchard. For her, this position is the culmination of all her careers.
“I worked for a long time in economic development, including prospecting for foreign investments by promoting Quebec internationally. I was also involved in boards of directors that showcased the region, such as Destination Québec cité.” Caroline Lepage was also self-employed for several years, heading a company specializing in organizing international conferences.
The new CEO believes that the veteran left her “with the house in order,” allowing the transition to go smoothly. “The organization is very healthy and well structured. My priority was to take stock of the situation,” she explains.
Impressive results
It must be said that the Convention Center broke all records in 2023-2024. More than 220,000 visitors – almost 20,000 more than the previous year – came for one of the 193 events scheduled.
The establishment also generated $11 million in event revenue for the year, not to mention an estimated $165 million in economic spinoffs for the Quebec region. These results are partly explained by the events that had been postponed during the health crisis.
Caroline Lepage now intends to take the organization further. “I want to bring more innovation to management practices and tools. I want to make sure we remain avant-garde and competitive.”
No major expansion on the horizon
Steeve Lavoie, outgoing CEO of the Quebec Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIQ) (Editor’s note: Mr. Lavoie left the CCIQ on September 6), was delighted with all the activity in the region. “We’re overflowing and that’s great!” he said. He also noted that tourism industry players have to juggle costs that have skyrocketed.
“There is a greater scarcity in terms of rooms and technology. It is becoming more difficult for local stakeholders to find a suitable and affordable meeting venue,” he notes. For now, hoteliers seem to be expecting a return to normal after the exceptional recovery of 2023-2024. “I have not seen any expansion projects yet,” emphasizes Steeve Lavoie.
Alupa Clarke, who heads the Quebec City Region Hotel Association, notes a slight slowdown in group business tourism in 2024. “Individual business tourism – those businessmen and women passing through town for meetings – has been very strong in Quebec City for the past six months, according to our members. We’re seeing more of it than before.”
At the Convention Center, the year is looking “quieter, but still good,” according to its CEO. “There is no need, for a circumstantial year, to think about expansion projects,” she believes.
Trends to follow
The Quebec City region is a pioneer in sustainable tourism. While Destination Québec cité became the first regional tourism association in the province to receive the Biosphère eco-responsible certification earlier this year, other members of the industry, such as the Centre des congrès and the Nomad hotel, are also certified.
There is a big paradigm shift. Companies are keen to reduce their carbon emissions. So they are encouraging their employees to mix business and leisure travel by staying an extra night or two after the event to explore the destination.
Alupa Clarke, General Manager of the Quebec Region Hotel Association
Several hotels have also improved their service offerings. This is particularly the case for the Hôtel Pur, the Château Laurier and the Château Frontenac. “There are a lot of renovations,” says Alupa Clarke. “The carpet is disappearing from the rooms, the establishments are putting forward concepts.”
The time taken to book conferences and other events has also shortened. “While we used to talk about last-minute confirmations in the Quebec and Canadian markets, we can now talk about last-second bookings,” explains Caroline Lepage.