The Palais des congrès de Montréal showcases nature in Québec to business travellers

MONTRÉAL, April 17, 2024 /CNW/ - The Palais des congrès de Montréal, in collaboration with Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec as part of its mandate from the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec to promote the destination under the Bonjour Québec brand, unveils a new space for business travellers and convention-goers to gather and network. Called LE PANORAMA, it showcases flagship nature tourism adventures in Québec.

LE PANORAMA completes a series of spaces dedicated to relaxation and informal exchanges in a setting evocative of some of Québec's flagship experiences. These spaces reflect the Palais' desire to build bridges between business tourism and leisure tourism. Boldly innovative, this project is aligned with an expanding trend in tourism: to offer visitors, in search of meaning, unique and authentic moments while in Québec attending an event.

Designed and realized in collaboration with Vannoote Design and Cossette, this new area offers an immersion into the immense playground created by Québec's abundant and diverse natural landscape. A renowned tourism attraction, fall is highlighted here, beckoning business travellers to explore Québec's colourful and flamboyant landscapes that offer an infinite array of outdoor activities. LE PANORAMA features a bicycle path crisscrossing Québec's roadways, an invitation to enjoy responsible hiking, or real-life decors inspired by thrill-seeking adventures, such as via ferratas and ziplines.

In March 2023, the project's two partners announced their plan to create three informal gathering spaces that will showcase the diversity of Québec's tourism offer. Evoking an après-ski ambience, LA STATION was the first space to be introduced, followed a few weeks later by the inauguration of LE SAINT-LAURENT, offering an immersion into the emblematic river's marine life. In just a few months, these spaces became an integral part of the client experience at the Palais.

LE PANORAMA is designed to be an activity-filled nature outing, with each installation offering its own version of fun, and featuring awareness-raising panels on ecoresponsible practices and biodiversity protection.

On entering the space, visitors discover seven Québec- and Canadian-designed bicycles, manufactured by Cycles Marinoni, Opus Bike, Louis Garneau and Devinci. A screen positioned opposite the bicycles allows business travellers and convention-goers to pedal while watching a video, produced in collaboration Grands Prix Cyclistes of Montréal and Québec City and Freeride Québec, featuring some 12 000 km of mountain biking trails crisscrossing Québec's fall landscapes, including the Route verte, named the most beautiful cycling route in the world by National Geographic.

Further along, five suspended cocoon tents offer an intimate space for relaxation and an opportunity to experience this unusual nature adventure accommodation.

Other surprising installations, equipment evocative of via ferratas and ziplines, immerse visitors in the heart of a picturesque and vibrant environment, faithfully representing Québec's outdoor experiences.

In addition to the relaxing environment and change of scenery, picnic tables scattered here and there make LE PANORAMA an ideal working and meeting space.

Lastly, the serious commitment of the Palais des congrès de Montréal, the Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec and the Ministère du Tourisme to safeguarding biodiversity resonates throughout the space with educational panels explaining the role each of us can play in protecting our natural spaces. Limiting our ecological and noise footprint, protecting wild flora and fauna, fire prevention...a variety of subjects are addressed to remind visitors of responsible conduct when exploring nature.

In keeping with the other thematic spaces in the Palais des congrès, LE PANORAMA combines interactive decors and useful facilities for business travellers, offering them a space that is recreational, unique and relaxing. LE PANORAMA was developed with support from Vélo Québec and Aventure Écotourisme Québec as well as Québec companies Projet vertical, Ébénisterie Maurice Dupuis Inc. and DeVille.

"LE PANORAMA showcases our flamboyant fall, a venue for a wide variety of outdoor activities. It's another excellent way to promote the best of Québec while raising awareness of eco-responsible practices and the importance of preserving biodiversity. Bravo to the designers of this magnificent space that will contribute to giving business tourists the desire to explore Québec and to increasing tourism's economic spinoffs!" ? Caroline Proulx, Minister of Tourism and Minister Responsible for the Lanaudière Region

"The third and final space created in collaboration with Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec, LE PANORAMA is a magnificent representation of the outdoor activities Québec nature has to offer. This partnership had two objectives: to open up Québec's rich tourism offer to our international convention-goers and inspire them to extend their stay with us, while providing unique and informal meeting spaces. With the creation of LA STATION, LE SAINT-LAURENT and LE PANORAMA, we can say 'mission accomplished!'" ? Emmanuelle Legault, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal

"The third stage in this partnership seeks once again to give business travellers from around the world an opportunity to experience Québec in a singular fashion. The quality of the immersive experiences in LE PANORAMA illustrates the capacity of the tourism industry to get off the beaten track and enhance the profile of the Bonjour Québec brand. Alliance is proud to contribute to a process that highlights flagship experiences across the province and, with its touch of audacity, creates magic for visitors by pushing the limits of destination marketing." ? Frédéric Dubé, Interim CEO of the Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec

About the Palais des congrès de Montréal
A creative solutions centre and a showcase for the city's spirit and expertise, the Palais des congrès de Montréal has been promoting and hosting large-scale events since 1983. Generating significant economic, social and intellectual benefits, it encourages innovation and acts as a force for progress for both Montréal and Québec. The Palais is firmly committed to sustainability and takes numerous innovative, concrete steps to make it a central component of its business development. With one of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the world, the Palais actively contributes to the international reputation of Montréal, the top host city for international events in America for six years in a row. congresmtl.com

About the Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec
The Alliance de l'industrie touristique du Québec (Alliance), which represents more than 10,000 businesses and 50 regional and sector-based tourism associations, is the largest provincial business federation in Canada specializing in tourism. It works with private businesses and associations to highlight tourism's crucial contribution to regional vitality, while acting as a spokesperson for its members. The Alliance also carries out mandates from the Ministry of Tourism, including its mandate to promote the province under the Bonjour Québec brand, as part of a unique partnership with the industry. The Alliance's ultimate goal is to help turn Québec into a thriving, sustainable and responsible world-class tourism destination. For more information, visit alliancetouristique.com.

SOURCE Palais des congrès de Montréal