10 things you probably didn’t know about Ottawa

3. Ottawa is Canada's most educated city and a hotbed of knowledge-based industries, with over 1,900 companies employing over 75,000 people. Leading sectors include connected and autonomous vehicles, health and life sciences, software, cleantech, aerospace, defense and security, telecommunications, gaming and e-commerce.

4. The Shaw Centre, located in the heart of Ottawa next to the Rideau Canal, received the prestigious 2020 APEX Award for "Best Client Rated Convention Centre." The 192,000 sq ft venue is just one of the many options available to convention planners.

5. With a mix of international hotel brands and local boutique properties, Ottawa offers 6,000 downtown hotel rooms within easy walking distance of the Shaw Centre. Additionally, Ottawa's new light rail transit system links many more directly to the Centre.

6. Ottawa's national museums offer convention planners a wealth of unique off-site venues for receptions, galas and delegate experiences. You can gather amidst the world's largest indoor collection of totem poles, under the wings of historic aircraft, surrounded by works of art and next to ancient dinosaur fossils.  

7. Ottawa is a city of culture and celebration, with national sites and landmarks, museums and galleries that tell Canada's stories. Annual festivals celebrate music, craft beer, winter fun, cultural communities and more. Known as the city of museums, Ottawa Tourism turned that very point of interest into Unofficial Museums!

8. Ottawa affords delegates a wealth of unique urban experiences while also offering some of Canada's best outdoor recreation and adventure experiences, from cycling to kayaking and whitewater rafting, skiing, skating, golfing and more.

9. Ottawa is ranked among the most sustainable cities in Canada. Ottawa is a vast, beautiful and green city that includes an urban core and vast tracks of wilderness, farmland and rivers within its limits. The City of Ottawa is committed to reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations by 2050 and is in the process of developing a long-term climate resiliency strategy. Expansion of its light rail transit system and the conversion of its entire fleet of buses to electric vehicles are among many investments being made to build environmental sustainability and resilience.

10. Ottawa Tourism is widely regarded as one of Canada's leading DMOs and provides meeting and conference planners with complimentary services, including bid package coordination, virtual and in-person site visits, event servicing, attendance building and much more!

Ottawa is a great destination for business events and conferences, offering a range of unique experiences, venues and services. With its mix of urban and outdoor experiences, cultural attractions, and excellent transportation links, Ottawa is a destination that will impress your attendees without breaking your budget. Contact Ottawa Tourism to start planning your next event today!