The  RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg is the fourth largest publicly owned convention centre in Canada and that means meetings and conventions are big business for Winnipeg.   

Business events are not only about tourism, but are catalysts and drivers for growing Canada’s economy. According to Destination Canada, total losses to this sector to date represents 3,701 business events and 1.59 million delegates, representing nearly $1.33 billion in direct spending.  

While the world is seeing ongoing restrictions on non-essential travel and virtual conferences are in full swing,  Tourism Winnipeg continues to work behind the scenes to fill the pipeline with future in-person meetings and conventions.  

“The attraction of these events can take years of planning and even in this disruptive time, international conventions have long booking cycles with destinations currently competing for events in 2026-2030,” says Dayna Spiring, President and CEO, Economic Development Winnipeg. 

“Canadian conferences and events are also looking beyond 2023 to confirm destinations for future in-person conferences. It’s essential our organization finds safe ways to stay connected with decision makers to bring in future business events to Winnipeg that will assist in our economic recovery.” 

Launching a new, customizable virtual site visit to ensure safety and highlight Winnipeg’s assets was a natural next step. Tourism Winnipeg’s meetings and conventions business development team uses this tool to engage with meeting planners and association executives, so they can discover the city from the comfort of their homes. But make no mistake, the site visit isn’t your typical highlight reel – it's a completely customizable experience injected with the city’s quirky brand of humour and warm hospitality.  

Planners and decision makers can learn about venue spaces and city tour highlights, while getting to meet local ambassadors and the team at Tourism Winnipeg on a virtual site visit. 

“The site visit is a fun snapshot of an in-person experience, complete with a city tour and cameos by Winnipeg personalities that make our virtual visit stand out from the crowd. It allows our clients to connect with partners and their spaces, and helps keep the city top of mind,” says Karen Goossen, Vice President of Marketing and Tourism Winnipeg.  

With exciting new developments opening soon, including  Qaumajuq at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Canada’s Diversity Gardens at Assiniboine Park, the city is polishing up its world-class attractions and getting ready to roll out the red carpet for future meetings and convention delegates.

If you’re interested in signing up for Tourism Winnipeg’s virtual site visit, please reach out to [email protected] – we'd love to host you!