Travellers are back and their enthusiasm exceeds Tourism Montréal's forecasts

MONTRÉAL, Aug. 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Halfway through the tourist season, Tourisme Montréal reveals a positive portrait of this season, which exceeds forecasts. To date, the city has welcomed 100% of the visitors who came during the same period in 2019.

While Americans and French are still in the majority, the organization notes a significant increase of 10% in the number of visitors from other countries, with 30 % more tourists from the United Kingdom, Mexico and Brazil choosing our city as a vacation destination. Forecasts are also optimistic for the rest of the season: a 6% increase in total passenger volume is expected until October.

Signs of vitality in the hotel industry confirm the return of travellers. The occupancy rate of hotels in Montréal is now that of before the pandemic with an average of nearly 80%, while total revenues at mid-season exceed 2019 figures by 26%. Hotel capacity jumped during this time by 5%.

The city's festivals and events have enriched the experience of tourists and Montrealers with vibrant urban entertainment. The diversified and constantly renewed cultural offer is without a doubt a creative and high-quality sales point. Event attendance speaks for itself; the Canadian Grand Prix, Osheaga and Just for Laughs, among others, welcomed record crowds.

Tourisme Montréal continues to put forward innovative tourism strategies. These initiatives have borne fruit; the MTL.ORG website posted a spectacular increase in traffic of nearly 45% compared to last year. With the keywords Montréal and Vacations, the increase is also significant on the international search engine side. The Passport MTL has also generated unprecedented enthusiasm: sales are up 20% compared to 2019.

Montréal's tourist offer is vast and of high quality, which is why more travellers are choosing to extend their stay. Reacting to this pleasing mid-season report, Tourisme Montréal President and CEO Yves Lalumière declared: "Our central neighbourhoods would not be so busy and lively without the influx of these millions of visitors whose satisfaction is a source of pride for all of us. They remind me why the tourism ecosystem is so passionately devoted to promoting our city. Collectively, we have been through challenging times, but our commitment to Montréal has never wavered."

Our teams seized and leveraged every business opportunity to ensure the strong comeback of conventions on the Island. Since the start of the summer season, the city has hosted more than 80 business and sporting events, which are similar figures to those for the same period last year. For the sixth consecutive year, Montréal has been named a leading business destination by the Union of International Associations (UIA).

Finally, Montréal is regaining its pre-pandemic vigour, despite the unstable weather conditions. On that matter, the President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal wishes to emphasize the importance of a nuanced assessment of data relating to weather conditions: "The weather forecasts raise legitimate concerns, but it is essential to consider various factors for an informed decision. A low chance of rain should not lead to the cancellation of your planned outdoor activities."

About Tourisme Montréal

Tourisme Montréal is a 100-year-old private, non-profit organization that works to position Montréal as an international-calibre leisure and business travel destination. Uniting nearly 1,000 businesses and organizations working directly or indirectly in tourism, Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in the management and development of Montréal's tourism business, and makes recommendations on issues surrounding the city's economic, urban and cultural development. For more information, go to www.mtl.org.

SOURCE Tourisme Montréal

For media inquiries: Aurélie de Blois, Corporate communications, public and media relations, 514 918-5290, [email protected]