TMAC Conference guide for first-timers

TMAC is an annual conference hosted by the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC). The organisation is membership-based and requires annual dues and bi-annual requalification. The conference is open to all TMAC members and is not only a great networking and learning event, but also a huge networking opportunity. As such, media from all across Canada are joined at the host destination by travel trade partners and sponsors from Canada and abroad.

The event moves across the country, offering various destination marketing organisations (DMO) to showcase their destination and attendees to see more of the country or even visit a city they haven’t been to before. The itinerary naturally is also different year to year, depending on the host destination’s offerings and conference sponsors. However, attendees can always count on a lineup of professional development (PD) sessions, group activities and socials, and the infamous media marketplace.

The conference is open to trade/industry and media members who are able to participate in the event as attendees, volunteers, organisers, speakers, and sponsors. Media attendees can also opt in for pre- and post-tours – destination-hosted press trips taking them to see the geography beyond the conference centre.

The 2025 TMAC addition took place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and 2026 will take us to Richmond, British Columbia.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here. 

Key notes for first-timers 

Conference-related emails will provide you with all of the information you need for planning. Each email also has a contact you can reach out to with questions or technical concerns, while the national Facebook group is a great resource for common questions brought up by other members. 

A few quick tips for TMAC first timers:

• Follow the packing recommendations shared in the pre-conference emails and leave some room in your luggage for various swag.
• Some events have themes, and people are very serious about dressing for the theme. Plan those outfits ahead of time, or you might feel left out (imagine being the only person not wearing a Canadian tuxedo!) 
• TMAC team asks all first-timers if they are interested in having a conference buddy to help you orient yourself at the event. This person will be your resource throughout the conference, introduce you to other attendees and basically shapparon you at the First-Timers Welcome event.
• Attend your local chapter meeting to get to know the members within your geographic community.
• Do submit for awards, each TMAC member has a free entry across the main categories, and there are a few people’s choice options for your more creative outputs. Read the awards guide carefully and follow the rules – they are there to make things fair and to not overwhelm the awards committee. 

---

Tip from Katie Conklin
Senior Marketing Project Manager, Discover Halifax
2025 Conference Committee Chair
discoverhalifaxns.com | @discoverhalifax

“My biggest tip for anyone attending the conference for the first time is simple: attend everything. It’s the best way to make connections, build friendships, and feel fully immersed in the experience. It all starts with the First-Timers Welcome. This opening event brings all first-time attendees together, includes a welcome from the President, and offers a chance to ask questions and meet your “buddy” if you opted into the program. From there, try not to skip the events, dinners, or late-night activities. These are where some of the best conversations and networking moments happen. Don’t worry—there’s plenty of free time built into the itinerary so you can catch up on work or take a breather when needed.”

---

TMAC 2025, Saskatoon. Host destination dinner at Champetre County. Images by Kateryna Topol.

---

Tip from Jay Kana 
Owner, Modern Traveller & Modern Mississauga
Co-chair, TMAC Ontario
moderntraveller.ca | modernmississauga.com | @itsjaykana | @moderntraveller.ca

“There are no silly questions. Period. Full stop. Everyone had a first conference experience at some point and had questions. There’s a wealth of information presented to you in the months leading up to and at the conference, and it can be overwhelming. A question I asked at my first conference was in the hotel, and it was, “Can you tell me where the restroom is?” The person smiled and pointed above my head to the restroom sign. I laughed. She laughed. We laughed. You’ll always be encouraged to ask questions at TMAC conferences, and you’ll always get an answer.”

---

Conference events

The conference kicks off with a Welcome Reception, typically held in a unique location. This event has a keynote speaker, beverages and hors d’oeuvres, and works as your first networking opportunity to find someone you know or make new acquaintances. TMAC is better with friends and facilitates new friendships very easily. It’s a great way to start the week and get introduced to the destination.

---

Tip from Ashlyn George
Content Creator, Writer, Photographer, Speaker
thelostgirlsguide.com | @thelostgirlsguide

“First off, don’t be nervous. TMAC members are genuinely some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, and you will make connections. My biggest recommendation is to take advantage of every opportunity and be intentional about meeting people. Sit with different people every meal, on tours, and don’t be afraid to walk up to someone and say, ‘Hey, I don’t think we’ve met yet.’ TMAC is an incredible opportunity to build relationships (and friendships) across the industry, and the benefits will come back to you tenfold. But it starts with putting yourself out there.”

---

Daily breakfast is offered at both hotels before the activities begin, often following an optional mindful morning event (yoga or meditation) at the host hotel. Lunches are provided at the conference centre and most dinners are associated with evening activities. As such, most of your meals are covered by the conference. Plan to spend some money on snacks and beverages if the limited alcoholic beverage tickets provided are not sufficient.

Every night, there is an optional after-hours party, an informal gathering of folks willing to stay up and socialise at a nearby pub or bar. While you might not want to attend every night, going at least once, be it just to fulfil your curiosity, is recommended. Every event is a networking opportunity, but it is also a chance to learn from others, make new friends, meet future collaborators, get to know magazine editors, and generally build long-term relationships in the industry. 

Media marketplace 

Media Marketplace is what most people come to TMAC for, it is a fantastic opportunity to get face time with destinations and travel organisations. The appointments need to be booked ahead of time and work both ways: trade can request appointments with media, and media can request appointments with trade. Keep a close eye on the booking system, popular destinations book up fast, and you might have appointment invitations waiting for you. It is okay to decline an invitation if it does not fit your goals, trade will decline yours for similar reasons. Make sure to complete your TMAC Conference attendee profile, it’s what the industry members will be looking at when booking appointments. 

---

Tip from Yashy Murphy
Travel Writer, Lifestyle Content Creator and Social Media Consultant, On-Air Personality. 
TMAC National Communications Committee member
parentingtogo.ca | @yashyanthi

“Bring a large, sealed mug filled with warm water and drop in a lozenge like Ricola. Sipping it during your 1:1 marketplace appointments keeps your voice warm, steady, and ready for back-to-back conversations.”

---

The media marketplace is set up in a large open room with trade seated the entire time and media travelling from table to table. A map of the seating chart will be shared with you via email and posted outside of the room. Appointments are 13 minutes long, with 2 minutes of travel time (15 minutes total). These few hours go by fast and can feel quite intense.

To make the most of these meetings, come prepared to speak to who you are and what you do, what you offer. The destination representative will speak to their focus, be prepared to tailor your request and offerings to address those needs on the spot. Bring business cards or prepare QR codes, people might not ask, but it’s better to be overprepared. 

TMAC 2025, Saskatoon. Dine around: St. Tropez Bistro, Saskatoon. Images by Kateryna Topol.

---

Tip from Davindra Ramnarine
Owner of goatrotichronicles.ca | @goatroti
TMAC Ontario Co-Chair

“First timers may leave the conference very positive about their meetings and may be expecting the offers to come flooding in, but they shouldn’t be discouraged if they don’t come right away. Use the conference to build long-term relationships. Destinations need to learn about you and your work before they reach out. Also, walk with lip balm and cough drops because you’ll need them for 2 days of meetings”

---

Personal development sessions

These sessions are spread across two days and divided into media, industry, or all members. The sessions cover a range of topics pitched by the community or brought forward by the organising committee based on feedback from previous years. The 2026 PD session schedule is already up, so you can plan ahead. Attendance is first-come, no need to sign up.

The closing keynote, typically takes place over lunch on the last day, in a way, is also a learning opportunity. Notable guests like writers, community leaders, and government representatives come to share their impactful stories and insights learned through years of experience. Next year’s destination is revealed at the closing lunch, so you won’t want to miss this event. 

Cocktails at the PARLoR cocktail bar, a family-owned and operated establishment with a green roof serving arguably the best cocktails in Saskatoon. 

TMAC 2025, Saskatoon. Opening reception at Remai Modern. Image by Kateryna Topol.

Host destination events  

A lot of your time will be spent on pre-planned conference events, but if time permits, use it to explore the destination on your own. My wishlist in Saskatoon included a few cocktail bars, which were a great opportunity to catch up with friends and get to know new people in a more intimate environment. 

Some of the host destination events are open to all attendees, while others are broken up into smaller groups. During conference registration, you will have an option to choose three local tours you are most interested in. The conference team will choose one for you, based on demand and availability. Saskatoon tours included Indigenous community visits, beer crawls, active adventures, and in my instance, a farm visit. A small group of us were shuttled out to Farm One Forty, where we spent time with farmer-operator Arlie LaRoche, who raises cows, pigs, sheep, and manages an amazing garden. The visit wrapped with a cooking demo and a cheese tasting.

Among other evening meals are dine-around and the local host dinner. Saskatoon local host dinner took place at Champetre County, a “breathtaking Ranch in St Denis”. Before sitting down for a large communal dinner, delegates had time to wonder about the ranch, take pictures, pet horses, and enjoy breakout conversations in a beautiful setting. The dinner at the ranch was served family style, with a few speeches and a musical performance by a local artist.

Dine around, on the other hand, is a more intimate gathering. Conference attendees are broken up into much smaller groups to either walk or take a shuttle to a local restaurant. My group of about ten people had the pleasure of dining at St. Tropez Bistro, owned by the same couple who operate PARLoR cocktail bar. An environment like this one is a great opportunity to really get to know people beyond your quick media marketplace meetings. 

The big event is the TMAC Awards Gala and Dinner. This is a formal seated, coursed dinner, with a black tie dress code. Award winners are announced throughout the meal, and once the official reception is over, people stay back to dance and mingle. 

Some years also include other evening activities, like karaoke nights and other fun socials. 

---

Tip from Jay Kana 
Owner, Modern Traveller & Modern Mississauga
Co-chair, TMAC Ontario
moderntraveller.ca | modernmississauga.com | @itsjaykana | @moderntraveller.ca

“Rest, rest, rest, rest, rest. There are meetings, seminars, more meetings, connecting with friends, making new ones, managing your schedule, evening events and more. If you’re sluggish and tired on the second morning, it can be difficult to re-energise yourself for the balance of the conference. Prioritise rest, whether it’s sleeping longer at night or power naps during the day when time permits, being well-rested is crucial. Instead of a third point, let’s call it a bonus point in addition to rest: drink plenty of water!”

---

TMAC 2025, Saskatoon. Local tour to Farm One Forty. Image courtesy of TMAC.

TMAC 2025, Saskatoon. Firepit at Farm One Forty and owner operator Arlie LaRoch; images by Kateryna Topol.

Pre- and post-tours

The pre-and post-tours selection is curated by the host destination. There are always at least three options before and after the conference to choose from. Much like with local tours, media members can pick three tours they are most interested in and will be placed into one by the TMAC planning committee.

These tours are essentially press trips hosted by regional destinations. They include accommodations, activities, and meals with an expectation that attendees produce a story about the destination.

Travel & Accommodations 

TMAC attendees can take advantage of discounts with major airlines within a specific travel timeline (inclusive of pre- and post-tours). Booking instructions and codes can be found in the emails.

Delegates are offered a discounted rate at the host hotel and an additional nearby hotel option. In Saskatoon, for example, the host hotel was Delta Hotels Bessborough, only a short walk away from the secondary option, Delta Hotels by Marriott Saskatoon Downtown. Bessborough is an older, castle-like property with intricate traditional finishes and tall ceilings. Delta Downtown, on the other hand, is a newer, only slightly smaller property with very similar amenities. Booking instructions can be found in the conference emails and on the TMAC conference website.

Upon arrival, all delegates are greeted by a local team and can take advantage of the conference shuttle, also available on departure. Throughout the week, a shuttle will also be available for all off-site events and activities. 

TMAC 2025, Saskatoon. Delta Hotels by Marriott Saskatoon Downtown room and view of the host hotel Delta Hotels Bessborough from the room window.