10 million fund - Minister Caroline Proulx announces call for projects to stimulate international business tourism

QUEBEC CITY, Oct. 30, 2023 /CNW/ - Caroline Proulx^, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region, today launched the first call for projects to develop international business tourism, thanks to a $10 million fund.

Announced last February by the Minister, the Fonds pour stimuler le tourisme d'affaires international is designed to strengthen Quebec's international position in the business tourism sector. With its world-class expertise, Québec is recognized as a first-rate destination for this type of tourism. Its various regions are also equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructures, such as the Centre des congrès de Québec, the Palais des congrès de Montréal and others, which encourage the holding of events combining business and leisure, with the aim of extending the length of visitors' stays.

The aim of this fund is to stimulate business tourism in Quebec by supporting international events, thereby increasing regional economic spin-offs in a sustainable way, promoting Quebec abroad, supporting niches of excellence and encouraging the financial commitment of partners.

Business tourism, a government priority, has a major economic impact on Quebec. An action plan is currently being prepared and will be unveiled shortly.

Tourisme Laval will manage the fund with the support of a steering committee made up of representatives from the industry and the Ministry of Tourism.

Quotes :

"In particular, we are prioritizing the development of this sector to ensure the sustainable growth of tourism in Quebec. I'd like to point out that business tourists spend on average twice as much as leisure travelers. It also helps keep tourists coming back year-round, and contributes to the economic vitality and development of the regions, as well as raising Quebec's profile abroad."

Caroline Proulx, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region

" Tourisme Laval fully understands the scope of the mandate entrusted to it, and expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism for this far-reaching initiative. Far beyond economic spin-offs, international business events bring lasting social and intellectual benefits that enrich not only destinations, but also the communities that host them. With the collaboration of the steering committee, we are committed to making every effort to maximize the positive effects of this fund throughout Quebec."

Maïthé Levasseur, President of the Steering Committee of the International Business Tourism Challenge Fund

Highlights :

• Components 1 and 2 are designed to provide financial support to players in the business events sector for the development of business plans, bid books and canvassing activities.
• The minimum cost of a project is $10 ,000, and the maximum assistance granted under each of the two components is $50,000. A single applicant may receive a combined maximum of $200,000 for all projects funded under Components 1 and 2.
• Organizations wishing to submit an application are invited to consult the Applicant's Guide and the documents required on the program web page.
• Component 3, to be launched later this fall, will provide support for the creation of incentives to attract international business events to Quebec.
• The program ends on March 31, 2026.
• Business tourism in figures :
  • For the Palais des congrès de Montréal and the Centre des congrès de Québec alone, business tourism represented, in 2018-2019, at its peak, a total of 563 events and some 1.3 million participants/visitors, generating over 363,000 overnight stays.
  • During the same period, economic spin-offs were estimated at nearly $327 million. A significant portion ($136 million) of this came from outside Quebec, with 25% from the Quebec City Convention Centre and 73% from the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
  • Still in 2018-2019, the other regions of Quebec also contributed to the boom in the business events industry. Considering only the intra-Quebec market, they hosted nearly 3,500 events and 617,000 participants. These events generated $664 million in direct spending in local economies.

Related link:

Program web page

Ministry of Tourism on social media :

X (Twitter), Faceobook, Linkedin, YouTube

SOURCE Office of the Minister of Tourism

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Source:
Brigitte Roussy,
Press Attaché, Office of the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region
Tel.: 514 248-0160
[email protected]

For further information, please contact
Jean-Manuel Téotonio,
Media Relations Manager, Communications Branch, Ministry of Tourism
Tel.: 418 643-5959, ext. 3488
[email protected]

Hélène Vézina
Director - Communications and Marketing, Tourisme Laval
Tel.: 450 682-5522, ext. 105
Cell. : 514 261-9893
[email protected]