IGRC 2024 Venue

Venue - Banff - Canadian Travel Requirements

Venue

Our objective is to make it easy to get to our venue and to ensure the participants will have a wonderful time while attending the IGRC2024. The Fairmont Banff Springs (Virtual Tour) provides a unique setting for the IGRC. Set amid the stunning scenery of Banff National Park, the hotel is styled after a Scottish baronial castle, and its unique blend of opulence and seclusion has been a symbol of Rocky Mountain magnificence for more than a century. The Fairmont Banff Springs rises among the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, in this setting the venue provides a rare combination of indoor and outdoor activities, from golf to wine and food pairing, to a relaxing soak in the mineral pools at Willow Stream Spa. Heritage mountaineering and interpretive hiking programs, mountain biking and sightseeing can all be arranged for the group along with many tours. The venue is an award-winning meeting facility and the largest resort conference space in Canada.

Banff

• Banff has a rich and vibrant cultural and natural history, recognized globally by the United Nations, which designated the area of the Canadian Rockies as a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1984. 
• The town of Banff is a spirited place, alive with adventure and wonder. In all directions you’re surrounded by strikingly beautiful and rugged mountains that seem to burst straight out of the ground. You might see a herd of deer wandering down the main street during your early morning jog. The lively streets of downtown are lined with top-class restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as a vibrant range of art galleries and museums. The locals are warm, open, and genuinely connected to the inspiring environment in which they live. The town of Banff offers you endless options for rejuvenation and exploration every day. 
• Nestled high in the Canadian Rockies, the town of Banff is located within the BanffNational Park. Once “Siding 29” on the Canadian Pacific Railway, the town of Banff was intended to be a tourist town from its very inception. The park’s first superintendent, George Stewart, even oriented the town’s first street so that it offered the best possible view of Cascade Mountain.
• Banff is flanked on all sides by towering mountains, including Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, and Cascade Mountain.

Banff & Lake Louise Tourism | Official Destination Website

Canadian Travel Requirements

General info on travel requirements to visit Canada for attending a meeting or conference:

Most people need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to travel to Canada – not both. Some people may only need their valid passport. The ETA is a digital visa waiver for travellers from countries that are visa-exempt.

Visitor visa

A visitor visa (also called a temporary resident visa) is an official document that accompanies a passport. It shows you meet the requirements needed to travel to Canada by any travel means.

What a visitor visa is good for?

With a visitor visa, you can visit Canada for certain purposes, including

• Visits as a tourist
• Visits to family or friends
• To attend business meetings, conferences, or trade shows

How long can you stay?

• You can generally stay up to 6 months per visit with a valid visa
• A visa is valid for up to 10 years or until your passport expires
• All visitor visa applications are considered for multiple entries

The ETA application process

Applying for an ETA is a simple online process. You should apply for an ETA before you book your flight.

1. Get your passport, credit or debit card ready, and read the application help document, which is available in several languages.
2. Use the online form to apply.
3. Costs may apply to obtain your ETA right after you complete the form.
4. Get an email about your ETA application.
• Most applications are approved within minutes, but some can take longer.
• You may need to submit additional documents before your application can be approved.

What to bring to the airport:

When we approve your ETA, it will be linked to the passport you used to apply. You need to present this passport when you check-in to your flight to Canada. You don’t need to print out any special document.

The airline staff will scan your passport to confirm that you have a valid ETA. If you don’t have one, you won’t be able to board your flight.