https://ced.travel 

The World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED) is a non-profit organization established in Montreal in 2006. It emerged from a collaboration between Tourism Montreal and the International Centre for Training and Research in Tourism (CIFORT) at UQAM's School of Management Sciences, with support from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Now an UNWTO affiliate member, the CED mobilizes an international network of consultants and experts to help tourism destinations achieve excellence, sustainability, and innovation.

The CED collaborates with partners and experts worldwide to create tailored tools, training programs, and strategies. Its projects span multiple continents:

   In Asia, the CED has supported the sustainable management of Mount Huangshan in China, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

   In Africa, the organization leads initiatives in Cameroon and Morocco to develop rural and cultural destinations.

   In Europe, the Indian Ocean, and the Middle East, the CED contributes to structuring tourism offerings and improving local governance.

For about a decade, the CED has worked closely with Abitibi-Témiscamingue. This collaboration has involved regional stakeholders, researchers, Indigenous communities, and local institutions. The goal: to make this region a model of sustainable and regenerative tourism development.

The 2025 event represents the culmination of this work with the creation of an "Innovation Hub for Regenerative Tourism and Community Well-being" and the production of an internationally recognized case study.

The CED actively collaborates with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD):

- COP15 in Montreal (2022): Organization of a forum on the role of local actors in biodiversity conservation

- COP16 in Cali (2024): Signing of a partnership agreement with the city of Cali and launch of the "regenerative resource regions" (RRR) concept

- COP17 in Yerevan (2026): Preparation of an event showcasing the contribution of resource regions to global biodiversity, with Abitibi-Témiscamingue as an example.

The CED develops and promotes the concept of Regenerative Resource Territories (RRT), inspired by ecological civilization. This approach aims to transform regions rich in natural resources into territories where economy, culture, and nature mutually reinforce each other.

RRTs encourage active regeneration of living environments, socio-technological innovation, inclusive governance, and the valorization of Indigenous knowledge. They demonstrate how biodiversity can become a driver of prosperity and well-being for communities while contributing to global sustainable development goals.

As a UNWTO affiliate member, anchored in UQAM's academic excellence and strengthened by its international network, the CED supports destinations on every continent. From China to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the organization makes tourism a driver of regeneration, innovation, and excellence in service of territories and their populations.

World Centre of Excellence for Destinations
UQAM Campus, Pavillon JE, 3e Floor
P.O. Box 8888, centre-ville branch
1564 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, Qc, Canada H2X 3K2
1 (514) 871-1115

info@ced.travel