By Cheryl Jahn

In-person conventions coming back

Jul 28, 2022 | 3:27 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Prior to COVID, Prince George often played home to hundreds of delegates at various conventions. But COVID brought that to an end. And, according to Tourism Prince George, those conventions were slow to return this year. And there may be a reason for that.

“People have done a really good job of making hybrid conferences,” explains Colin Carson, CEO of Tourism Prince George. ”

But those conventions bring a lot of money to the hotels in the city, of which Tourism Prince George gets a portion of the room rates, with the “Hotel Tax,” as it’s called, to cover operations. In 2021, Tourism PG got $635,000 from that Hotel Tax and it budgeted over a million for this year. But unlike other jurisdictions, Carson says the loss of conventions for the hotels was offset.

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“The resource sector was so strong even during COVID, so fortunate for our organization and the hoteliers in town. They were able to survive COVID. They definitely were hurt, but not as bad as some other communities.”

Those in-person events are starting to return. This City hosted the True North conference and the BC Chamber of Commerce Annual General meeting. And Mayor Lyn Hall hopes that is the case.

“The business that takes place and the conversations that take place and the ability for me to promote the community and the ability for me to talk to investors and developers is like night and day,” says Mayor Lyn Hall. “When you’re face-to-face in a room having that conversation than it is on Zoom. There’s a drastic difference.”

Tourism Prince George is banking on a rebound of the in-person on, putting in bids on four conferences. And Tourism has received a bundle of money.

“Tourism Prince George received the BC Events and Conferences Restart Fund from the Province of BC and, specifically, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport,” explains Carson. “So we received $100,000 to help attract and support conferences that are coming to Prince George.”

In fact, Prince George will play host to the 2023 BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference, which will see as many as 500 to 600 delegates. It will be the first time the event is held in the North.