To get the most out of this experience, we have a few simple requirements of our Hosted Buyers:

• BE AN ENGAGED PARTICIPANT
  Attend all group activities, networking functions and offsite partner events;

• MEET WITH UP TO 20 OF OUR DMO PARTNERS (could be less but it won’t be more)
  One-on-one appointments are 15 minutes long and scheduled on Monday, Feb 23rd and Tuesday, Feb 24th. Hosted Buyers are required to attend every meeting in their agenda. The total time commitment for 20 meetings at 15 minutes each is 5 hours over the span of two days.
  

• BE COMMITTED
  Destination Direct organizers and Canada’s DMOs work very hard to make this unique program a success. While we realize “things happen” which can entail a last-minute cancellation, all Hosted Buyers are required to agree that a cancellation fee of $500 will be charged if cancellation occurs within one month of the event (anytime after January 22, 2026). We don’t actually want to impose fees for our Hosted Buyers, but we are hopeful that this fee will discourage people who ‘aren’t sure’ from accepting one of the very limited spots available in the program. The cancellation fee will help to defray costs associated with ticket processing and is only charged if a Hosted Buyer cancels their participation within one week of departure. Please note that this fee does not apply if the event is cancelled as a result of Force Majeure. 

• ONE REPRESENTATIVE PER ORGANIZATION
  Destination Direct is happy to consider Hosted Buyer applications from any qualified association, corporate or third party planner applicant. Please note there is a maximum of 40 Hosted Buyers for this event.  As a result, only one representative can be accepted from a given organization. Priority will be given to candidates who are based outside the National Capital Region, anywhere in Canada, who have never attended in the past.

• RETURN HOSTED BUYERS MAY ONLY RE-APPLY EVERY FOUR YEARS
  The goal of this Hosted Buyer Program is to introduce Canadian conference planners, site selectors, association management companies and association executives to the key players in Canada’s convention destinations. Because this is such a small and unique program, we ask that hosted buyers and organizations who have previously attended wait four years before re-applying to allow other interested planners and association executives a chance to experience Destination Direct. There are of course exceptions to this rule, i.e., if you’ve changed jobs, if you are a third-party planner or AMC with a new client, or if your association has a new conference that didn’t previously exist. Hosted buyers who have previously attended will generally be placed on a waitlist to allow new participants to register, those on the waiting list will be advised the last week of January if they are accepted based on available space at that time.