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AREA GUIDES This hotel has just 208 rooms and suites and prides itself on being able to there- fore extend a level of personal attention often difficult to achieve at larger hotels. The hotel also offers meeting space from small executive retreats to company-wide banquets for 260 guests. The Soho Metropolitan is nestled in the heart of Toronto's entertainment dis- trict. It features 72 luxurious gue- strooms and 21 executive suites – and a fabulous three-story penthouse suite. Just steps from Toronto's Convention Center, the Soho Metropolitan is also surrounded by Toronto's vibrant arts community, making for short walks with generous returns. Toronto is served by two airports; Pearson International Airport and Toronto City Centre Airport. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Toronto CVA – (800) 499-2514 www.torontotourism.com OttAWA Canada's Capital and the country's fourth largest metropolis, Ottawa is located in Eastern Ontario at the junc- tion of three majestic waterways and just across the Ottawa River from Gatineau, Quebec. Ottawa is immersed in Canadian culture with year-round festivals and events and distinctive neighborhoods and districts. When it's time to get down to busi- ness, meetings and conventions held in Ottowa often set records for attendance and attendees tend to arrive early or stay after their event to enjoy the city. Many of Ottawa's accommodations, meeting facilities, restaurants and attractions are within easy walking dis- tance of one another. Ottawa's numer- ous cultural attractions offer spectacu- lar venues for unique off-site events. The Ottawa Convention Centre has closed for renovation and the all-new facility will reopen in April, 2011. Conceived and designed with direct input from professional meeting plan- ners, the new Ottawa Convention Centre will house approximately 200,000 sq. ft. of highly flexible meeting space. The multi-purpose hall with 82,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space will accommodate up to 6,000 delegates the- atre-style, banquets of 5,000, and over 300 10' x 10' display booths. The city offers a wide range of brand- name hotels – Westin, Fairmont, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, Sheraton, Marriott and others – in addition to independent properties unique to the Capital offer- ing a total of over 10,000 guest rooms. Most downtown hotels are within close proximity to the Ottawa Convention Centre. Just a 15 minutes ride from downtown is Ottawa's newly renovated and expanded international airport. Ottawa's state-of-the art international airport serves airlines offering flights to most major cities in Canada and the Eastern US, with seasonal services to Europe, the Caribbean and South America. The city is also served by excellent ground and rail links. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Ottawa Tourism – (613) 237-5150 www.ottawatourism.ca nIAGRA FALLs Niagara Falls, Canada, with eclectic restaurants, contemporary hotels, and electrifying attractions, is a true Canadian experience. Travelers enjoy its upscale hotels, modern casinos, nightlife and concerts, fine dining, golf courses, spas, and the wine country is just down the road. There are over 16,000 guestrooms and suites in Niagara Falls, Canada making planning an Ontario vacation a breeze. Whether you are looking for accommodations that are affordable, family-friendly, facilities for group meetings and corporate events or luxu- ry hotels with full-service spas and in- room Jacuzzis, you'll be able to find them in Niagara. The Sheraton on the Falls Conference Centre is Niagara's premier meeting destination. It pro- vides 670 rooms and suites, many of which provide stunning views of Niagara Falls. It also offers 35 meeting rooms, over 200, 000 sq. ft. of function space, capacity to host up to 3,000 along with the best views guaranteed. The new $87 million Niagara Convention and Civic Centre, slated to open in the spring of 2011, will offer 231,000 sq. ft. that includes a 100,000-sq. ft. main exhibit hall, 31,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 100,000 sq. ft. of sup- port space. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Niagara Falls Tourism CVB (800) 563-2557 www.discoverniagara.co Royal Ontario Museum Niagra Falls Photo Credit: OTMP Photo Credit: Ottawa Tourism Black Meetings & Tourism October/November 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 96