TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2013 /CNW/ – The Virginia-based National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will host its annual conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada, its first international location in the event’s impressive 69-year history. Held September 19 to 21, 2013, the conference will attract nearly 5,000 delegates to Toronto’s urban core. Based on the conference size and diverse meeting room requirements, MTCC was considered the best option in Toronto, conference organizers confirmed.
“We are very pleased to welcome NACAC for the first time to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre,” says President and CEO Barry Smith. “We are confident delegates will fall in love with our city, which has so much to offer visitors. We also believe the conference-goers will appreciate all the upgrades we’ve introduced to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre since we began our $29-million renovation program 18 months ago.”
Toronto’s proximity, access to neighbouring hotels and eastern standard time zone were considerations when organizers decided to make conference history by venturing outside U.S. borders. This year, while there are usually only two-to-three per cent of international delegates attending the annual conference, because of its cross-border destination, organizers are seeing this number lift to seven to 10 per cent. The 5,000 delegates represent more than $13 million in economic impact to the City of Toronto.
Equipped with more than 600,000 square feet of flexible convention space, the MTCC is able to easily accommodate the conference’s educational plenary sessions, smaller seminars, product updates and panel discussions, and break-out rooms for small study groups. Delegates attending the conference will have opportunities to learn through presentations, new product launches and exhibits.
“We are excited to host NACAC’s 69th National Conference in Toronto—our first foray in the international arena,” said NACAC CEO Joyce Smith. “Toronto is a world-class city that offers our members from around the globe the opportunity to meet in a setting that is conducive to discussing important national and international issues of the day. NACAC members and our guests from the Toronto area are eager to convene to discuss similarities and differences in educational systems and to share valuable insights on common challenges. Our Toronto College Fair also will allow students from the city and surrounding regions to meet face-to-face with college admission representatives from U.S. and Canadian postsecondary institutions. We are looking forward to an exciting three days in this illustrious city.”
