For over 30 years, the conference format has evolved in various ways across the Laurentians, adapting to changing trends and the needs of organizers and participants. As 2025 approaches, four members of Tourisme Laurentides Affaires share their insights on the evolution of this key sector, highlighting innovations, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of professional events in the region.
Make way for “bleisure”
“Bleisure is the new events trend,” said Natalie Johnson, Marketing and Public Relations Specialist at the Fairmont Tremblant. No matter the type of gathering, if it’s held at one of the Laurentians’ massive conference centres, firm time limits for presentations and coffee breaks are a thing of the past, she added.
“Over a quarter of events are now seeking to include rewarding experiences, with a focus on wellbeing and leisure,” Natalie Johnson indicated. This is why her 312-room establishment recommends all kinds of activities, such as gatherings under a winter dome, group après-skis, yoga classes, and wine workshops—a list that is growing rapidly. In summer, that list might include guided forest walks, golf, cycling, and outdoor workshops.
It’s worth mentioning that the Fairmont Tremblant, with over 22,000 feet of conference spaces, was recently awarded the number two spot for resorts in Canada during the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2024.
A longer stay
Bleisure isn’t something you can rush with a short stay, continued Carole Tétrault, Sales Director at Manoir Saint-Sauveur. “At least one out of five conferencegoers opts to extend their hotel stay, especially if the event is held close to the weekend,” she added. She emphasized the construction of a 2nd hot-cold circuit behind the 250-room establishment. A particular favorite of conference-goers, this $2M infrastructure has a capacity of up to 30 people at any given time.
Break and meal times
Beyond conference activities, breaks are becoming more and more creative, said Carole Tétrault. “We’re talking gelato stations, coffee and hot chocolate served by a barista, apple bars, and our famous snowboard covered in charcuterie and other treats; imagination knows no bounds when it comes to ways of enjoying break time in between presentations,” she observed.
While breakfast, lunch, and closing banquets are typically held at the establishment, several organizations plan for free time to eat dinner off-site. “Our proximity to downtown Saint-Sauveur is a non-negligible perk. It’s a game-changer for over a third of organizations that choose our destination,” she mentioned.
The 20-year conference professional has noted another behaviour change within conferences. “More and more, we are seeing alcohol being replaced with juice, kombucha, and various mocktails,” Carole Tétrault remarked.
Client origins
While Greater Montreal represents over 75% of conference clients who step foot inside Manoir Saint-Sauveur, it’s a different story at Tremblant’s Camp de Base. Located at the foot of the mountain, this conference destination is reserved primarily by organizations from outside Quebec in this post-COVID era. “Over 70% of our clients are from Toronto, but also from the US,” revealed Valérie Roy, Conference Centre Director with the Tremblant Resort Association. This achievement is largely the result of the exceptional work of the destination’s representatives.
These organizations from outside Quebec, many of which are growing in the financial, construction, health, and university sectors, come with large budgets, she added. What’s more, the average length of events held at Camp de base varies comfortably from three to five days.
The spring of 2021 saw complete upgrades to Camp de Base’s rooms and reception. This new look, paired with large windows, is also part of the winning formula, Valérie Roy continued. Divided over two floors, the infrastructure can host a banquet of up to 400 people (or a cocktail party of 500). “Camp de base can even accommodate up to 700 people if all rooms are used at the same time,” she noted.
An urban touch
Impéria Hôtel et Suites in Saint-Eustache is also claiming its share of meeting and conference clients. While single-day meetings are most common, two and three-day conferences represent one third of the establishment’s business revenue.
Contrary to holiday resort destinations, this hotel in the Lower Laurentians mainly serves local businesses. “It’s mostly organizations from the Laurentians, Lanaudière, and Laval that come to us,” mentioned Cindy Lafrance, Hospitality Director for the Impéria group.
Since it opened in 2007, the 75-room establishment has attracted business clients through its proximity to Autoroute 640, free parking, and highly competitive prices. “The large room in our hotel is big enough for a 225-person banquet (with the option to divide it in three), so it is frequently sought out by organizations in the financial, retail, Indigenous, and government sectors. There’s also those clients who need a peaceful location for their collective bargaining operations,” she concluded.
There’s no doubt about it: in the Laurentians, there’s an option for every kind of conference client.
