New Jersey-based Malu Events works with clients from across the world to create memorable event and incentive programmes focused on North America. We caught up with President & CEO Luiz Matta to find out why he loves delivering events in Canada…

What makes Canada so well suited to incentive rewards?

I have always loved Canada and we organised an amazing incentive to Banff in 2019 that made me love the country even more. Not only are Canadians easy to work with, but they are also warm, friendly, creative and open-minded. Our events in Canada have always run smoothly, from the logistics to the transportation and accommodation to restaurants.

Canada is a country that has a lot of natural beauty, from coast to coast. There are so many beautiful sights and natural phenomena, such as the northern lights, that are an amazing reward for our clients. It’s also a destination that offers great value for money and is easy to travel to as far as visas are concerned.

What kind of incentive groups or clients do you feel Canada is most suited to?

As far as our clientele is concerned, I think Canada would suit just about any group. A lot of our clients are based in Latin America, and they are not used to the Canadian climate, so being able to see snow and the northern lights is incredibly different and special.

Which destinations work well for twin-centre trips in Canada?

You can easily combine Banff with Calgary, Vancouver with Whistler, Montreal with Toronto, or Montreal with Québec City. Ultimately, it depends on the client's budget and the number of nights they have.

We have combined Toronto with Montreal quite a few times often incorporating a one-day escape to Québec City. We’ve also paired Montreal with Québec City, which works well. The region of Quebec is so different to the rest of Canada – it’s French-speaking, very European and the food and the culture is unique. So, if you combine that with Toronto, you get two very different Canadian experiences.

Another area that is very interesting if you are into wine and gastronomy is Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is on the shores of Lake Ontario on the border of Canada and the US. There are some amazing wineries, and the famous Canadian ice wine comes from that region. A trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake works very well combined with a stay in Toronto.

We also organised an event for the Formula One in Montreal for an insurance company in Portugal that combined Niagara Falls, Toronto and Montreal.

What’s your favourite Canadian experience so far? 

My favourite programme to Canada was the one to Banff. It was a high-end group of top distributors for Heineken in Brazil. We created a very exclusive five-day programme, staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs, visiting the glacier, and surprised them with private helicopter transfer to one of their activities which was incredible. Everything was just perfect, and the trip ended on the most amazing high.

After the final dinner, we were coming down the mountain from the restaurant in a cable car and it started snowing, and mother nature put on the most amazing northern lights display. The clients were blown away. I would love to repeat a programme like that. I fell in love with the Banff region – in my opinion it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth.

What trends are you seeing for next year?

One trend we are seeing as a result of the pandemic is that clients are asking for destinations that are more in touch with nature than city trips. The focus is very much on making the most of the outdoors after two years of being stuck within the same four walls.

With international borders reopening, we are starting to see enquiries pick up, and I expect to see huge growth in requests for outdoor activities, which Canada works extremely well for.

This content is sponsored by Destination Canada Business Events. For amazing group experiences and incentives in Northern Canada go to the Destination Canada Business Events website for ideas and inspiration .