Ottawa
Ottawa emerges as an impressive and intimate national capital and a smart place to meet
Ottawa makes a great date in any convention calendar. A global tech hub. One of the world’s smartest cities. When groups meet in this G7 capital, ideas are exchanged on an international stage. Global meeting organizers are drawn in by the city’s easy access, walkability, and the monumental museums and galleries that punctuate their networking events with thought-provoking exhibitions. Add in year-round outdoor recreation options, and you’ve got the perfect combination to drive attendance, and transform business events into an invigorating experience.
Ottawa by the Numbers
TOTAL GUEST ROOMS
10000TOTAL MEETING SPACE
125,425 sq m | 1,350,062 sq ft
Experts to help you plan
Ottawa Tourism
Entering Canada
Destination Canada
Time Zone
Eastern
Time Zone
Current Time
This place is perfect for meetings that:
- Incorporate industry’s biggest thinkers in their agenda: Life Sciences, ICT, Aerospace and Defence pros are all here
- Invite political discussion and debate — world leaders meet here daily
- Imbue their business events with rich cultural and indigenous experiences
- Want to shatter attendance records
You can count on:
- Open hearts. Open minds. Ottawa is open for business.
- Rooms with a view – from Shaw Centre or downtown hotels, many meeting spaces feature landmark views of capital sights
- Conversations being sparked by powerful exhibits at museum and gallery events
- Easy in, easy out, easy to get about. Ottawa is compact, everything is close by
- A variety of high-tech and environmentally sustainable meetings spaces
- Making plans to come back for Winterlude or to skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway
Learn More About Ottawa's Industry Leadership
MOVING YOUR PEOPLE
Ottawa's main international airport is the Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW). Transfer time to your registration desk: 15-minute drive
For private jets, the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport (YND). Transfer time to your registration desk: 20-minute drive
Once you’re here: Aqua taxi, cycling, trolley, ice-skates, classic or open-roof double- decker bus, Uber, car-sharing services, and in new Light Rail Transit.
PLANNING ESSENTIALS
Accor, Delta, Fairmont, Marriott and Westin are just a few of the world-renowned hotels waiting to welcome your delegates. Along with big international brands, boutique hotels and nearby spa resorts add their own flavour of chic.
It’s a fact. Event dollars go further in Canada. With the Canadian dollar hovering between 25 and 30% below the U.S. dollar, planners are encouraged to enhance their meeting experience here. Dollars saved on the program requirements can translate into more bells and whistles or your bottom line, you pick.
Groups coming from outside Canada may be eligible for tax incentives — inquire at time of booking.
Foreign Exchange
Biggest bang for your meeting buck
Weather
Spring
-3°C to 11°C
26.6°F to 51.8°F
Summer
11°C to 25° C
51.8°F to 77°F
Fall
2°C to 13°C
35.6°F to 55.4°F
Winter
-16°C to -5°C
3.2°F to 23°F
One of the things that appealed to us about Ottawa was that they are very community-conscious where they donate excess food back to community food banks. And we were very excited because this year we’re trying to be much more conscious about our carbon footprint
Saima Hedrick, Executive Director of Society for the Study of Reproduction
The meeting has to come to a location where there is some knowledge credibility so people feel that not only is it a great city, but the knowledge they will acquire is relevant
Paul Beaulé, professor of surgery at the Ottawa Hospital and an organizer of the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy conference
… there had been some trepidation with the idea of taking our conference internationally - but after this trip I am completely confident that this will be the best conference NAAEE has seen yet
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
Here's how we can help you get planning
The team at Destination Canada Business Events helps meeting planners bring corporate, association and incentive events to Canada. Contact our team for:
- Inspiration
- Impartial insights
- Introductions
- Bid assistance
- Planning tool kit
