Montreal is the top North American city for hosting international events

Jul 21 2020, 3:08 pm

It may not feel like it this year but Montreal has been ranked as the top city on the continent for hosting international events.

According to the International Meetings Statistics Report for 2019 just released by the Union of International Associations (UIA), this is the third straight year Montreal has earned the top spot.

Anchored by Tourisme Montréal and the Palais des congrès de Montréal, the city organized, promoted, and hosted 129 international events in 2019, more than other event-heavy destinations like New York, Washington, Toronto, and Buenos Aires.

Montreal accounts for 58% of international events held in three major Canadian cities including both Toronto and Vancouver, “an impressive figure that speaks to the city’s drawing power on the global stage,” states the press release.

Rank City Number of events
1 Montreal 129
2 New York 79
3 Washington 61
4 Toronto 56
5 Buenos Aires 43

The 2019 International Meetings Statistics Report takes into account over 465,000 events organized in nearly 11,500 cities by more than 25,000 international organizations.

“Montreal has been enjoying a solid reputation in business tourism for many years, as well as enviable growth in organizing and hosting major events, business meetings and conferences,” says Yves Lalumière, CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

“Were it not for the COVID-19 global pandemic, our city would have continued hosting international events and attaining new levels in 2020. Just like its citizens, Montreal and the members of its business tourism community have been resilient and proactive in the face of the pandemic, so that once we have the green light from the national and international authorities, we may continue building on the momentum the city was experiencing.”

Tourisme Montréal says the organization is keeping close contact with its partners and key players in the industry in order to foster the adoption of protocols and measures that adhere to the highest international health and safety standards, and that will nurture the imminent recovery of business tourism in Montreal.

Ty JadahTy Jadah

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