The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of two key international association experts to its sales and marketing team: 

Eric Chou is appointed as Sales Manager, International Associations; and Anette Palm, Director of Worldwide Convention Specialists (WCS), is contracted as the Centre’s in-market representative for the European marketplace.

Chou brings to his role a wealth of knowledge from the meetings and convention business, more specifically from the international association industry.

He was a key force behind the establishment of Toronto’s Leader Circle, a strategic business initiative created by the Toronto Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) to proactively recruit local individuals who are associated with international organizations and partner with these individuals to bid on future conventions and congresses.

Chou will continue to work closely with this group in his new role at the MTCC and will continue to foster these relationships.

Chou had been representing the 1,000-plus members of Tourism Toronto to the international convention/congress market. During this period he was successful in securing several notable international events such as the 3rd World Union of Wound Healing Societies Meeting 2008, the International Society of Chemotherapy 26th International Congress of Chemotherapy 2009, and the International Health Economics Association 8th IHEA Conference 2011.

Prior to this position, he held a number of positions within the hospitality industry, specifically with the Crowne Plaza Toronto Centre and The Traveller Inc. Chou graduated from the University of Guelph’s Bachelor of Commerce degree program in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 1996.

“I am very pleased to be joining Canada’s #1 convention and trade show facility.  I have been working closely with John Houghton, Vice President of Sales & Marketing with the MTCC on selling to the international market for the past two and half years already, and am delighted to be forging ahead with such a great facility behind me, supporting me,” Chou said.

Worldwide Convention Specialists Contracted to Further Enhance the MTCC’s European Representation

Headquartered in Germany, Worldwide Convention Specialists is a dynamic global company specializing in research, identification, and qualification of potential leads, as well as in international representation. WCS’s goal is to create stronger awareness of clients by offering effective marketing solutions exclusively within the convention and meetings industry.

Key benefits that WCS offers are: extensive in-market experience and widespread knowledge and know-how for trade show attendance.

Anette Palm, Director of WCS boasts over 20 years “hands-on” experience with the convention, meetings, hospitality and tourism industries specializing in the areas of Europe, Australia, Asia and North America.

Palm has a proven track record in this capacity with other world renowned facilities such as the Cairns Convention Centre in Australia, the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre in Glasgow and the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia, to name just a few.

Her complete understanding of the international marketplace, National Government Organizations, exceptional sales and presentation skills will rapidly enhance the MTCC’s ability to penetrate the European market.

“Enhancing our sales team and proactively selling to international conventions and congresses has always been part of the MTCC’s vision,” said John Houghton, the MTCC’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  “As competition in the North American marketplace continues to intensify, the timing is right to broaden our horizons and proactively promote Toronto and the MTCC as the ultimate International meetings destination.