Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/16726
no taxes. That’s right, shop to your heart’s content, you won’t be paying any taxes. Convention attendees make sure you ask the CVB about the “Show Us Your Room Key or Badge Discount Pass,” good for discounts at restaurants and other tourist venues throughout the city (expires December 31, 2010). The expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center has 528,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, the largest in the TORONTO, CANADA Toronto is one of the most dynamic and vibrant cities in all of the Americas. It is the cultural, entertainment and financial capital of Canada and entertains over 16 million tourists a year. Located on the North shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto’s lat- itude is very close to that of Northern California giving the region a surprisingly moderate climate. Northeast, with a 55,400-sq. ft. ballroom making it the largest on the east coast. There are over 10,000 hotel rooms nearby and 17,000 within a 30-minute drive. The Philadelphia CVB website has numerous tools avail- able to help meeting planners and tourists organize a trip to the city. Visit philadelphiausa.travel for details. Oh and did we mention, Philadelphia is a top destination for those plan- ning a family reunion. sq. ft. and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with over 600,000 sq. ft. African-American conventions are no stranger to Toronto. They recently hosted the National Association of Black Engineers and are slated to host the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners in later this year and the National Medical Association in 2013. Toronto has everything you would expect to find in any Harbor view of Toronto’s CN Tower, located in downtown Toronto, which is a communications and observation tower standing 1,815 ft. tall Photo Credit: Toronto Tourism Toronto has become the destination of choice for U.S. spon- sored association meetings outside the U.S. And as a destina- tion it’s within 90-minutes of 60 percent of the U.S. population, and boasts 8,000 restaurants and 38,000 hotel rooms. With 2.5 million sq. ft. of exhibition halls and convention facilities the city can handle a gathering of any size. The largest venues are the Direct Energy Centre with over $1 million sq. ft., the International Centre with over 500,000 48 large American city with outstanding restaurants, arts, entertainment and sports – in fact, sports tourism is big business in Toronto. Take in the sites of the Toronto Zoo, or if you happen to be in the city in mid-July try the Beaches International Jazz Festival, Ontario Place (waterfront amusement park with 30 rides) and so much more. If you are interested in learn- ing more about this great city go to seetoronto-now.com. Black Meetings & Tourism July/August 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com