Outaouais Tourism and the Université du Québec en Outaouais are joining forces to position the region as a leading business destination

Outaouais, April 20, 2026 — Outaouais Tourism and the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) announce the signing of a new strategic partnership agreement aimed at boosting the region’s ability to attract business events. This collaboration, a first for the region, leverages the complementary expertise of both organizations to attract more national and international conferences and position the Outaouais as a leading destination for business tourism.

The agreement aims to increase the number of conventions, symposia, conferences, and other major business events held in the region, while maximizing their economic, social, and intellectual benefits.

Increasing the number of events will generate more tourist overnight stays, support local businesses, and enhance the Outaouais’ visibility nationally and internationally. This partnership will also contribute to the region’s intellectual and scientific vitality by fostering exchanges, developing collaborations, and sharing knowledge, helping to make the Outaouais a leader in various research sectors.

Outaouais Tourism will provide personalized support to a network of the UQO faculty members active in their fields—including financial assistance to support applications, travel expenses related to outreach efforts, and participation in networking activities. The organization will also provide strategic support, including identifying potential events and preparing application packages. This contribution is made possible by the Ministry of Tourism, which has granted $1.5 million in funding to Outaouais Tourism to increase, in part, the economic impact of business tourism in Gatineau and the Outaouais region.

For its part, the UQO will mobilize the university community to identify event opportunities and highlight the commitment of its faculty. The university will facilitate access to its institutional network and provide a platform for Outaouais Tourism to showcase the region’s attractions and experiences to conference attendees.

“To make Quebec a leading destination for business tourism, we must work together and build on what sets us apart. The academic community has a key role in attracting major events and fostering the exchange of ideas. I welcome this collaboration with the UQO, which will help promote the Outaouais region while generating significant benefits for the region and its communities,” said Amélie Dionne, ministre du Tourisme et ministre responsable de la région du Bas-Saint-Laurent et de la région de la Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

“This agreement represents an important milestone for the development of business tourism in the Outaouais. By joining forces with the UQO, we are increasing our ability to attract national and international events and to boost their tourism and economic impact for the region throughout the year. This collaboration positions the Outaouais as a strategic and competitive business destination,” emphasized Geneviève Latulippe, CEO of Outaouais Tourism.

According to Murielle Laberge, Rector of the UQO, “This logistical and financial support from Outaouais Tourism will serve as a significant lever to continue raising the profile of our faculty and expanding the UQO’s national and international reach. By reducing the administrative burden associated with attracting major conferences and congresses, we will enable the UQO researchers to focus on what matters most: fostering scientific dialogue across borders, positioning our university and our region as a major hub within various research networks, and strengthening our role as a key socio-economic player in the Outaouais.”

About Outaouais Tourism
Outaouais Tourism is a private, not-for-profit organization created by and for the tourism industry over 40 years ago. A preferred contact and partner of the Quebec government in the tourism field, Outaouais Tourism contributes to the region’s economic development by coordinating regional tourism plans and projects, visitor services, information, promotion, marketing and development.

About the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO)
The UQO offers 215 programs ranging from undergraduate to graduate levels and is home to a community of over 7,500 students across Gatineau, Saint-Jérôme, and the Institute of Temperate Forest Sciences in Ripon. Dynamic and well-connected, the UQO maintains an active presence in its community, where it forges close ties with regional organizations and contributes to the social, economic, and cultural development of the people of the Outaouais and the Laurentians.

For information:

Outaouais Tourism
Alice Charbonneau-Bernier
Communications and Public Relations Manager
acharbonneau-bernier@tourisme-outaouais.ca
C. : 819 576-3185

Université du Québec en Outaouais
Louis Lafortune
Information Officer
louis.lafortune@uqo.ca
B. : 819-595-3900, poste 3956
C. : 819-665-1345