| Conventions BC
Wins Prestigious Award |
The Conventions BC
consortium from British Columbia, Canada is this year's winner
of the 2007 Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) Profile and
Power Award . The award was made in recognition of their
creation of a fully integrated industry development initiative
that engaged three levels of government and promoted a better
understanding of the meetings industry and its benefits
throughout five communities in their province.
"The Conventions BC
program is a very appropriate winner of the Profile and Power
Award as it combined industry development with an effort to
educate and engage the community and local government", said
Council Member and ICCA President Leigh Harry. "In addition to
its industry development activities, the program created new
tools, including an economic impact model and a set of quality
standards for convention centres, to document their economic
arguments and enhance their competitive edge. These programs
have subsequently been adopted by other industry organizations
and are providing a base for demonstrating industry
performance in various parts of the world".
Along with
their host communities, Conventions BC engaged city,
provincial and national governments. The result of these
efforts included program development support which was
provided by the provincial and national governments as well as
funding for the creation of a formal business plan to advance
the industry in this part of Canada. Members of the consortium
are the Victoria Conference Centre, the Vancouver Convention
& Exhibition Centre, the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre,
the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre and the Prince
George Civic Centre.www.themeetingsindustry.org |
| Victoria
Conference Centre is Expanding |
 The
City of Victoria has successfully won the bid to take over the
former Crystal Garden building in Victoria, BC as
expanded space for the Victoria Conference Centre. The City
took possession on June 1, 2007. Located directly across the
street from the Victoria Conference Centre, this adjacent
building will add 25,000 sq. ft. of additional meeting space
to the Victoria Conference Centre including a banquet/exhibit
level and a mezzanine. This will create a total of 65,000 sq.
ft. of meeting space available for conference groups visiting
Victoria and utilizing the Victoria Conference Centre. The
Crystal Garden building is an historic landmark originally designed by
Francis Rattenbury as a salt water swimming pool over 80 years
ago. www.victoriaconference.com/ |
| Warhol Comes to
Victoria |
 Warhol: Larger than Life May 30-August 24,
2008
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria will be
featuring an Andy Warhol exhibit which delves into one ofthe
20th century's most compelling artistic personalities with an
expansive exhibit of over 150 paintings, drawings, prints,
sculptures, photographs and films spanning four decades
ofproduction.
The Art Gallery of
Greater Victoria is one of Canada's finest art museums with a
permanent collection of 15,000 objects. The collection
features art from Asia, Europe and North America with primary
emphasis placed on Canada and Japan. The Gallery
is housed in a combination of contemporary exhibition spaces
with a historic 19th century mansion that can
be rented for special events. Maximum group size is 150 for
receptions and 100 for dinners.www.aggv.bc.ca
Image Credit:Andy Warhol - Self portrait, 1986. Acrylic
and silkscreen ink on linen. Founding Collection.The Andy
Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh. (c) Andy Warhol Foundation for
Visual Arts/SODRAC
(2007)
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Would you like to bring your meeting to
Victoria? Our
Request for
Proposal form is available on our
website
|
| British Columbia
turns 150 |
Victoria will join with BC as
it celebrates its sesquicentennial,150 years of achievement,
with  encompassing events in and around
Victoria's Harbour, the Gorge Waterway, and Fisherman's Wharf.
Victoria's Inner Harbour is always a busy place and great
events take place throughout the season which attracts both
locals and visitors. The Summer of Celebration will allow
those events and others a unifying theme which will extend the
reach of their messages and draw even more people to Victoria.
2008 events will begin with opening Day Sail Past on the May
long weekend (May 19) and end with The Classic Boat Festival
on Labour Day weekend (August 30). www.bc150.ca |
| Four Points by
Sheraton to open Spring 2008 |
 Greater Victoria's newest full
service hotel, the Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway,
will be opening Spring 2008! This beautiful
suburban property will offer 117 well appointed
guestrooms and suites with comfortable, contemporary
furnishings. With amenities including indoor pool, hot tub
& sauna, fitness centre, Araina Day Spa, and the West
Coast Tap House pluses 6,500 square feet of meeting space, the
Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway is the perfect
location for your next meeting or conference. Conveniently
located just minutes from Bear Mountain and Olympic View Golf
Courses, Goldstream Provincial Park, Royal Roads University
and Hatley Castle, unique offsite events and activities are
only minutes away. www.fourpoints.com
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| Royal BC Musuem
Celebrates with Province |
From March 13, 2008 - January
11, 2009, the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, BC will present
Free Spirit: Stories of You, Me and BC in celebration of
British Columbia's 150th anniversary.The five-part project
will include an original exhibition, interactive website,
special events program, travelling exhibit and souvenir book.
The Royal BC
Museum offers endless possibilities for unique events
that can be both educational and entertaining. Stroll down a
cobbled street in Old Town and peer into turn of the century
storefronts or wander through the First Peoples Gallery and
learn about Native traditions and culture. Experience B.C.'s
industrialization and urbanization as you pass through true to
life mines, gold rush towns, saw mills and canneries, or walk
through coastal forests and seashores amongst life size bear,
deer and sea lions! Maximum group size for the entire Museum
is 1,500 people for receptions and 300 people for sit-down
dinners. For
smaller events, individual galleries may be used. www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
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| On the
Move |
|
Our team is on the move! If we're in your
area and you would like to meet with us, please
February |
March |
April |
Sales Calls & MPI
Luncheon
Calgary,
Alberta
February
19-22 |
Sales Calls & MPI
Luncheon
Vancouver,
BC
March
12-14 |
Sales
Calls
Toronto,
Ontario
Mid-April
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Comments or questions about
the newsletter? Would you like to add staff from your
organization to our mailing list? Please contact Meeting &
Incentive Travel Sales Coordinator Lindsay Reid at (250)
414-6988 or email meetings@tourismvictoria.com
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