2008 off to a great start on the business tourism front!

The Meeting & Convention division of Outaouais Tourism is back in full force this year. With a renewed team, the organization is now ready to show off all the vibrant aspects of the region and will be calling on different means (entertaining yet productive) in order to demonstrate the  hospitable efficiency in which the Outaouais can host gatherings of all shapes and sizes.

To name just a few, the launch of the ZOOM – BUSINESS Newsletter last December will help you stay up to date in matters of new developments and conventions to be held in the area. The Outaouais will also have access to its Ambassadors Club starting this spring. The Club involves local people who promote the region to their employers, to associations they are members of, or organizations they take part in, so that they are aware of the regional offering to organize an event in the Outaouais in the near future. Through this special Club, Outaouais Tourism fosters and rewards these key ambassadors.

Other major components of our action plan will be unveiled throughout the year, and some have already been a hit. It is the case with the successful Fam tours, with over six scheduled for 2008. Furthermore, during the one held on the last week-end of January, Outaouais Tourism welcomed corporate and association representatives from the Montreal region to kick off its very first Fam tour of the New Year. Three full days were planned for these organizers and their guests. Outaouais Tourism and its partners had put their best foot forward in order to wow these VIPs for the entire length of their stay.

During these tours, Outaouais Tourism invites various event and convention organizers from a multitude of backgrounds who have expressed a strong interest to hold a meeting or event in our region. The main objective is to let them experience firsthand the best the Outaouais has to offer in terms of meeting rooms, lodging, restaurants, and activities. They are then better equipped to make the final decisions on their next destination, having lived the different scenarios themselves. Throughout 2008, Outaouais Tourism will invite business representatives from various regions to get to know the Outaouais better, privileged neighbour of Canada’s National Capital.

Thanks to the generosity of its partners, the Tourism Association proposes a unique itinerary allowing participants to discover useful and interesting sites for their future visits. They can then rest assured that each of their delegates will enjoy their stay along with the region’s many attractions. Over the next few lines, we hope to make you relive this tour’s adventure, while strongly hoping that it will inspire you to come visit us and see for yourself what the buzz is all about!

The 2008 winter Fam tour (click to read and see images of this memorable tour)

Would you like to discover the Outaouais in the hopes of holding your next event or meeting here? Please do not hesitate to contact Roxanne Bouliane for more information.

FESTIVEX’S TODAY’S TRENDS

Festivex is a special events management firm based in Gatineau, in the magnificent Outaouais region. This company has received many awards, at both provincial and international levels, for its boundless imagination and ingenuity. Contact the Festivex team for a successful, unique and unforgettable event!

1910 Pink rd.
Gatineau Quebec J9J 3N9

819 775-4444

www.festivex.com

Event lighting

By Guy Thibault, President

Light is a source of life. During an event, space comes alive with lighting, which also sets the evening’s mood. Lighting, carefully planned, will highlight the decor elements, focus on the artists and celebrities on stage and create the most original visual effects. Past events featured impressive visual effects, created by a combination of lighting design and projection.

Example 1: Over 1000 guests attended this event. Fire and ice were the main themes of the evening. The focal point was the stage, behind which was a white curtain where we projected flame ''gobos'' combined with orange and yellow lighting (a gobo is a round metal plate featuring a cut out shape or logo, placed in front of a light source to project the image on a surface). The combination of the lighting and projection created an original visual impact in line with the evening’s theme and highlighted the stage, the evening’s focal point. To complete the room’s decoration, an ice ornament featuring a flame was set on each table. Artificial flames were also displayed on each side of the stage in order to create a synergy with the entire decor.

Example 2: In this scenario, 750 guests attended the event. The group brought together people from all over the country and the client’s wish for his guests was to ''experience first hand'' the National Capital. Since access to Parliament Hill is restricted, as well as the halls inside, we chose to recreate the interior of the reception hall at the Parliament. In order to do this, Festivex’s team once again combined lighting and projection to create this spectacular effect. Light sources were installed on a lighting bridge over the tables, aiming at the walls of the area. Surrounding them, guests could see the ten ''windows'' of the Parliament; just as if they were spending the evening inside! Golden tablecloths, red chair slip covers, red napkins and feathered table ornaments measuring up to 7 feet tall delivered a spectacular evening!