TED Conferences LLC has chosen Vancouver as the host city of its annual Technology Entertainment and Design (TED) conference in 2014 and likely also in 2015.
The conferences attract more than 1,300 delegates annually and are considered one of the world's most influential thought incubators. Speakers at past conferences have included Stephen Hawking, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Al Gore.
Chris Anderson, TED's curator, called Vancouver "one of the world's greatest cities, combining a thriving culture of innovation with glorious nature."
The conference will take place March 17 through 21 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where TED will design its own theatre within the centre.
Mayor Gregor Robertson yesterday tweeted:
. @tedtalks in Vancouver is big win for tourism + validation of our world-class creative economy soc.li/UyU58wJ
— Gregor Robertson (@MayorGregor) February 4, 2013
A consortium of tourism partners, led by the Canadian Tourism Commission, Tourism Vancouver and the Vancouver Convention Centre, supported by the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association, are also welcoming the conference to Vancouver.
Meetings, conventions and incentive travel attract each year to Canada close to two million visitors who spend a total of $1.7 billion, or almost 24% of all money spent by inbound overnight travellers.
Canada is the No. 1 location for outbound meetings business from the US, bringing in about $1.4 billion.
