December 2023 President’s Message

And just like that, 2023 comes to a close. The ending of one year always brings with it an opportunity for reflection. As a professional planner, I can say that most planners don’t reflect enough on their achievements as they are already knee-deep in their next event since critical paths wait for no one. 

So, I’d like to take the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of our chapter over the last six months which is conveniently the halfway point in our governance year: 

• In December, our Community Outreach division organized volunteers to help deliver holiday hampers to those in need in our community.
• Offered two (2) accredited educational events:
  One about sustainability in September and our industry roundtables in November.  
• Honoured our chapter’s best and brightest at our annual Awards Gala in September where we introduced new award categories and designed a new sleek feel for the event.

• Hosted our AGM in September where we announced that our Chapter was recognized as a Chapter of Excellence by Global for the second year in a row.
• Hosted two (2) networking events:
  One in June with a focus on indigenous culture and a murder-mystery dinner in November.

• Our Chapter is comfortable financially speaking with healthy reserves and a balanced budget.
• MPI Ottawa promoted/supported three (3) MPI Foundation events: yoga in August at Lansdowne Park, the fundraiser at Coconut Lagoon, and the powerful webinar about anti-human trafficking, both in November.
• Our Membership team has ambitiously grown our chapter to over 200 members! It was a huge accomplishment as we were down to just 100 members in the middle of the pandemic.
• And behind the scenes, our small but mighty communications team keeps our membership informed and engaged with e-blasts and on all our social media channels about our activities and achievements. 

This past year was the first year that our meetings and events industry didn’t have COVID to contend with and some of us returned to in-person events for the first time since 2019. Earlier this month, Destination Canada released their ‘Tourism Outlook Report’ and it found that tourism revenue for our country is set to exceed 2019 levels (generating 109.5 billion by the end of 2023). The most exciting part of this news is that our tourism sector is recovering from COVID one year earlier than originally projected. The report also highlighted that tourism is expected to grow faster than the general economy at 5.8% again proving the importance of tourism to the financial survival of our country.

This year has also seen the release of numerous research-based articles studying the importance of social connections all the way down to our neurology when humans meet in artificial environments like a virtual space. In October, news was released by Yale scientists that prove your brain’s activity drops when you have a Zoom meeting in comparison to face-to-face meetings. Social cues that are exhibited in person do not translate to the online world. Humans are inherently social creatures and seek community and belonging. Technology in three years cannot replace something humans have been doing for millennia. We as event professionals are well aware of this, but it was validating to see all the evidence-based, scientific research supporting the value of in-person gatherings. That said, I do believe a hybrid structure is the future of business events and the debate continues to evolve on how best to do this. I encourage my fellow event professionals to continue the discussion and to lean on your networks to determine best practices with hybrid events.

MPI Global has just announced the Chair and Vice Chair for the Canadian Region as part of their new realignment. Canada will be proudly represented by Tim Whalen as Vice Chair (Toronto chapter) and Heidi Hughes as Chair (BC chapter). I’m also proud to announce that our chapter will be represented at the Canadian level by Riccarda Galioto. Riccarda has years of MPI Ottawa Board experience including at the Executive level so members can trust she understands our chapter’s needs and will always have our best interests at heart when speaking for us to Global. 

As we all prepare to head off for our holiday break, I sincerely hope all our members make time to rest and recharge after a very busy year.  I also want to acknowledge that the holidays are not always joyful for some of us and I am holding space for those individuals as well. Priya Parker, a bestselling author of one of my favourite books ‘The Art of Gathering’, has written a beautiful guide on how we can intentionally gather together this year when things feel heavy.

The first quarter of 2024 will keep us busy with Ottawa Meet Week in February and I encourage you to save the dates for the various industry events happening that week which can all be viewed here. Registration is already open for our largest event of the year: our annual Charity Auction and Dinner on February 8^th.  Join us to close Meet Week and help raise funds for four Ottawa charities as well as the MPI Foundation.

Heading into the new year, I wish you find whatever you need right now; whether that be more peace, more pleasure, more purpose or more productivity. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together as a chapter by embracing the excitement and fresh perspective that a new year brings.

Happy Holidays! 

Article edited by Darlene Kelly-Stewart, Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services