Prince George, B.C. – Today is National Meetings Industry Day in Canada and Tourism Prince George is using the occasion to remind people what a big impact conventions and business meetings are having on the local economy.

According to Tourism Prince George (TPG) the P.G. Civic Centre hosts an annual average of 500 events, which welcomes over 250,000 attendees, making it the second busiest owned convention centre in B.C.

“It’s based on municipally owned convention centres and so there are 19 nationally and five in B.C.,” says CEO Erica Hummel. “That’s not something to ignore, it’s a big number for us and we need to make it known.”

Here are the latest yearly numbers:

1. Vancouver Convention Centre: 1.3 million convention participant days
2. Prince George Civic Centre: 255,000
3. Victoria Conference Centre: 155,000
4. Penticton Trade & Convention Centre: 139,000
5. Whistler Conference Centre: 60,000

While Hummel can’t say for certain what the exact dollar impact these conventions and meetings are having on Prince George, she does know the average business traveller spends four times more money than leisure tourists.

“I think that’s largely in part because maybe their company is sponsoring their transportation and their hotel room stay and the cost of the conference,” she says. “So then they personally can make some more expenses before the trip if they want to come early and do a holiday with their family or they can do some things in the evening that aren’t part of the conference.”

What makes Prince George such a popular destination?

“It’s a combination of the fact we’re a little more cost effective then the Lower Mainland and maybe some people have gone to the same place and they want to try something different,” says Hummel. “So the way we differentiate our product is promoting our outdoor adventures, the things we can do culturally with our restaurants and entertainment venues and trying to sell the city in all it has to offer.”

She encourages anyone interested in learning more about the Tourism industry to attend this year’s Tourism Symposium and Annual General Meeting April 23 from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Civic Centre.

You can RSVP for the event at www.tourismpg.com or by email: admin@tourismpg.com.