Destinations Still Rely on Relationships to Attract Events

Securing and hosting a large meeting or convention can be the pinnacle for a destination. How you go about it can range from using the latest technology tools to reach meeting hosts digitally or keeping it old school and building fruitful relationships with a wide variety of meeting planners. “No amount of technology replaces the relationship side of the business, understanding the client’s needs and translating that into what needs to be delivered on the ground,” said Andrew Weir, executive vice president of destination development for Tourism Toronto. For Toronto, the fourth largest city in North America, the meetings market in 2018 represented an economic spend of $565 million and more than 500,000 delegates. Weir indicated there has been much discussion with planners and within Tourism Toronto's Business Ev