MONTRÉAL, May 14, 2024
/CNW/ - Tourisme Montréal kicked off the summer season this
afternoon at the Grand Quai du Port de Montréal. More than 65
industry players were gathered to reveal the best of the
attractions and events that will bring the city to life this
summer. The President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal, Yves Lalumière,
took the opportunity of the annual launch to reveal the industry's
business forecasts and unveil the new products not to be missed
this summer.
The 2024 Summer Season in Numbers
While Mother Nature confirms that summer is upon us, tourist
indicators show that it will be a busy one. Indeed, in a context
where the American economy is growing stronger and the number of
flights departing to and from Montréal is constantly increasing,
all signs are positive for the city.
In terms of hotel forecasts from June to September,
expected demand will increase by 2.2% and will be supported by a 2%
higher supply compared to the same period last year. The occupancy
rate of hotel establishments is expected to reach 80%, with peaks
of 89 % during the Grand Prix, 84% during the International Jazz
Festival and 88% during Osheaga.
When looking at air traffic, the number of expected
visitors arriving by plane this summer exceeds that of 2023 by 17%
in terms of international arrivals, by 13% in terms of US flights
and by 9% in terms of Canadian arrivals. From the United States alone, a grand total of
63,000 travelers per week will land in Montréal, while 35,000 air
tourists will cross the Atlantic from France each week. The appeal of Montreal continues to grow, and to meet this
increasing demand, Montreal-Trudeau International Airport will
welcome six new destinations this summer: Seoul, Marrakech, Stockholm, Austin, St.
Louis, and Tulum.
Ships docking at the Port of Montréal will also
contribute to the growing flow of visitors this summer. In total,
the 20 visiting vessels, 50% of which coming for the first time,
will make a total of 32 embarkations/disembarkations and 9
stopovers. These operations will bring a total of 65,000 passengers
and crew members to the city. Comprised mainly of the luxury
clientele, this influx of tourists from the St. Lawrence has generated economic impacts of
$17 million in 2023 alone.
"Whether they come from the United
States, Canada,
Europe or Africa, visitors will be here in large numbers
this summer," predicts Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of
Tourisme Montréal. "This liveliness will be felt by hoteliers and
merchants as well as attractions and events, so we are very excited
about the summer season ahead of us."
What's New This Summer
As every year, summer is the occasion to see a bunch of new
attractions coming to life in the city's landscape. In addition to
the major key moments of the summer, several large-scale events
will join the calendar this year. These include L'Appel
Montréal, a new festival of independent music taking place at
the Olympic Park on May 30. The
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will see the world's most
daring divers jump at the Grand Quai du Port de Montréal, from
August 22 to 25. The sporting event
will attract a crowd estimated at more than 50,000 visitors. From
September 5 to 7, Palomosa
Festival will storm Parc
Jean-Drapeau with waves of pop, rock, Latin and electronic
music. Finally, golf fans will gather at the Royal Montréal Golf
Club from September 24 to 29 for the
15th edition of the Presidents Cup of the PGA
Tour. The prestigious tournament will attract a crowd estimated
at 35,000 people to Montréal for the event.
According to Yves Lalumière, the number of new events being
added to the calendar testify to the dynamism of the city's local
players and the attractiveness of the destination among
international organizers: "the arrival of leading sporting
competitions such as Red Bull Cliff Diving and the Presidents Cup
confirms the undeniable attractiveness of the city among
international decision-makers. This power of seduction is due in
particular to our ability to remain relevant by proposing an event
offering that is constantly fresh. »
Your Playful Side Awaits
The summer unleashes the advertising force of Tourisme Montréal
every year. In 2024, visitors' playful side awaits them in the
city. By positioning Montréal as a wide-open playground, tourists
are invited to have fun and let their goofy side shine. Composed of
cheerful and quirky visuals, the campaign is deployed in the
busiest cultural sites in Île-de-France, Los
Angeles, San Francisco and
Vancouver. Among other iconic
locations, the Montréal brand can be seen on Times Square, in
New York and on Dundas Square, in
Toronto.
The result is a most colorful campaign, just like Montréal:
video overview of the campaign.
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. To
this end, the organization is piloting innovative hospitality
strategies with a two-fold objective: ensuring that visitors enjoy
a memorable experience and maximizing tourism economic spin-offs in
a sustainable way with long-term impacts for the city. 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