Premier Financial Conference Comes to Vancouver for the First Time

A Joint News Release from the Vancouver Convention Centre and Tourism Vancouver

Vancouver, BC (June 10, 2010) – The Vancouver Convention Centre and Tourism Vancouver are very pleased to welcome the Million Dollar Roundtable for the first time for their annual meeting, June 13 to 17. Utilizing both the East and West buildings of the Vancouver Convention Centre, this important meeting could not have been accommodated prior to the Centre’s expansion.

This event will bring together over 6,000 top professionals from around the world in the life insurance and financial services industry. This group is expected to generate over 12,000 room-nights at hotels throughout the city.

“By hosting groups like the Million Dollar Roundtable, the newly expanded Vancouver Convention Centre is bringing economic benefits to the province and the tourism industry.” says Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. “Since it opened last spring, the facility has proven to be an important and spectacular addition to Vancouver’s downtown and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to service, technical and culinary excellence.”

“With our expanded facility, coupled with its state-of-the art features, great location and our excellent service standards, we’re able to attract larger international conventions and prestigious groups like the Million Dollar Roundtable,” says Ken Cretney, General Manager, Vancouver Convention Centre. “We are very excited to host this group and to see business that has been years in development arriving in the city.”

“Tourism Vancouver and our industry partners have been working with Million Dollar Round Table since well before construction of the convention centre expansion began,” says Dave Gazley, Tourism Vancouver’s Vice President, Meeting & Convention Sales. “Having them now here in Vancouver is the culmination of several years of work. Not only will they contribute over $5 million in direct spending to the city’s economy, such a prestigious organization helps position Vancouver as a premier meetings destination.”

The main platform sessions and other select sessions of the annual meeting will be simultaneously interpreted in up to 12 languages to accommodate the large international delegation.

The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the Premier Association of Financial Professionals, is an international, independent association of more than 31,500 members, or approximately 1 percent, of the world’s life insurance and financial services professionals from 464 companies in more than 80 nations and territories. MDRT membership is recognized internationally as the standard of sales excellence in the life insurance and financial services business.

Tourism Vancouver, along with partners such as the Vancouver Convention Centre and the hotel community, spearheads the “Be A Host” program which encourages local British Columbians to work with the tourism industry to bring their colleagues to Vancouver for a national or international conference. For more information on the Be A Host program, please visit
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/meetings/host/.

– 30 –