Ottawa Sees 50% Rise in International Association Enquiries as Long-term Strategy Delivers

Ottawa Tourism has reported a 50% increase in international association enquiries over the past year, as Canada's capital builds on 15 years of investment in sector expertise, international partnerships and relationships with organisations that can take years to translate into confirmed congresses.

The figure was announced at IMEX America alongside the Rogers Centre Ottawa, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The announcement comes as the city marks another significant achievement: winning the bid to host the International Union of Radio Science General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS) in 2032.

For Ottawa, the increase in enquiries reflects a changing environment for international associations, which are examining destinations more closely against their delegates' needs, available budgets, organisational priorities and appetite for risk. However, Ottawa Tourism attributes the growth not to a single market trend, but to sustained investment in understanding association sectors and identifying opportunities well before a formal bid becomes possible.

"We are having more conversations with associations that are looking carefully at how a destination will work for their delegates, their budgets and their wider objectives. A 50% increase is significant, but the important point is that Ottawa was ready for that interest. We have spent 15 years finding the right organisations, understanding their sectors and staying in touch, sometimes for many years before a bid is ready," said Stephanie Seguin, Vice President, Sales, Business and Major Events at Ottawa Tourism.

The city's approach focuses on sectors where Ottawa has established expertise, including software, information and communications technology, cybersecurity, engineering, life sciences, defence and security. Through connections with specialists across government, academia and industry, the destination helps association organisers bring relevant local knowledge into their congresses, strengthening both the event programme and its potential value to members.

Ottawa has also maintained a dedicated international association strategy, combining targeted research, sustained activity in overseas markets and specialist communications. The aim is to identify opportunities early, understand the people and priorities behind them, and maintain relationships through the often lengthy decision-making cycles involved in major international congresses.

The URSI GASS 2032 bid illustrates the timescale such work can involve. Ottawa first identified the opportunity in 2013, meaning 19 years will have elapsed between the initial lead and the congress itself. The successful bid also demonstrates the importance of collaboration between the destination and the national scientific community.

“International congresses of this scale depend on the commitment of their national communities. The Canadian National Committee greatly appreciates the strong support that we received from Ottawa Tourism and its partners throughout the bid process as we assembled the local organizing committee and brought together the scientific backing and national support needed to make a compelling case for Canada, and as we presented the bid to URSI Council. We are delighted that the URSI Council has awarded the 2032 General Assembly and Scientific Symposium to Canada and look forward to welcoming colleagues from around the world to Ottawa. Because URSI is an international scientific union whose members are countries, we intend to take full advantage of Ottawa’s role as a G7 capital to make this a particularly impactful event.”

The statement came from Prof. David G. Michelson, President of the Canadian National Committee of the International Union of Radio Science, highlighting the national backing and scientific collaboration required to secure a congress of this scale.

Geopolitical and economic uncertainty is also influencing how associations assess potential host destinations. Ottawa Tourism reports that conversations increasingly encompass the welcome delegates can expect, ease of access, overall costs, organisational values and the relevance of local expertise. The destination cautions, however, against attributing the rise in enquiries to any single factor.

The city's proposition combines specialist knowledge with practical considerations for organisers. Direct air services from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Paris, more than 6,000 hotel rooms in the downtown area and a compact, walkable centre are among the factors Ottawa highlights when addressing concerns about bringing international delegates to Canada. The Canadian dollar can also help international organisers make their budgets go further.

Beyond destination-level support, Ottawa's strategy is reinforced by Destination Canada's International Convention Attraction Fund (ICAF), which strengthens eligible bids for high-value international conferences. The programme supports events aligned with national economic priorities and capable of delivering measurable benefits to their host communities.

A recent example is the International Institute of Municipal Clerks Annual Conference, secured by Ottawa for 2029 with ICAF support. The event is expected to attract approximately 1,000 delegates, generate 2,991 room nights and contribute an estimated CAD $2.8 million in economic impact.

Meanwhile, the Rogers Centre Ottawa's 15-year milestone provides another perspective on the value of sustained destination partnerships. For the venue, the objective extends beyond securing individual events to building the confidence that encourages organisers to return and recommend the city to others in their sector.

"Our 15th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on what a sustained partnership can achieve. Organisers want confidence in the venue, the city and the people supporting them. When those pieces come together, first-time events can become advocates for Ottawa and create opportunities for further business in the same sector," said Carly Grace, Vice President of Sales at Rogers Centre Ottawa.

As the number of international enquiries grows, Ottawa's challenge is to convert that interest into confirmed business while maintaining the relationship-led approach behind its recent successes. The URSI GASS 2032 bid demonstrates how early identification and long-term engagement can pay off, while the city's wider strategy connects sector expertise, destination partnerships and measurable economic outcomes.

"Association decisions are rarely won in a single conversation. The 50% rise in enquiries gives us momentum, but our focus remains the same: identify the right opportunities, build genuine relationships and show how Ottawa can help an association achieve what matters to its members. That is how the next 15 years of business will be built," Seguin concluded.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.