MONTRÉAL, Aug. 13,
2024 /CNW/ - As the summer season reaches the
halfway point, Tourisme Montréal shares a positive portrait of the
city's tourism activity. With an increase in the number of visitors
in line with projections, Montréal is confirming its power of
attraction and its position as a leading destination for national
and international tourists.
The number of visitors for the months of May, June and July
increased by 4.8% compared to the same period in 2023. When looking
specifically at international tourists, we see a growth of 4.3%.
For travelers from the United
States specifically, the mid-season results are a 7.8%
increase, which confirms the special place Montréal has in the
hearts of Americans.
Despite the Olympic context, visitors from France were very numerous at the beginning of
the summer, with their number being 3.3% higher since May than the
same period last year. Intra-Quebec travellers have also renewed
their interest in Montréal over the last three months with an
increase of 5.6% compared to the beginning of last summer, which
once again demonstrates their enthusiasm for the city's cultural
and sporting events.
Montréal is benefiting from this lively season. Vacationers,
attracted by the charms of the city, fuel a local economy that
benefits from their presence. Indeed, at a period when many
residents are also going on vacation, the sustained presence of
tourists helps boost the activity of local attractions, businesses
and restaurants. Among these visitors, Canadians remain at the head
of the list, with nearly 39% of tourist spending, followed closely
by Americans who account for 37% of tourist spending in the
city.
"Montréal continues to stand out as a hub for national and
international visitors, which contributes to its economic
vitality," says Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme
Montréal. "We put a lot of importance in maintaining a balance
between visitors and residents, which allows Montréal to develop
harmoniously. We are proud to see that this balance is not only
preserved, but that it contributes to strengthening the unique
appeal of our city."
Montréal's attractiveness in figures
- The dynamism of the travel industry could be felt at the
Montréal-Trudeau Airport, with a total of 6.3 million passengers
from May 1 to July 31, an increase of
6.1% compared to the same period last year.
- The interest in Montréal was also measured in Google travel
searches, which grew by 3.1% from May to July, resulting in a 31%
increase in the number of clicks on the Tourisme Montréal
website.
Although the number of visitors rose by 4.8% in the first half
of the summer season, this increase did not translate significantly
into higher hotel occupancy rates. Indeed, a large proportion of
visitors from Ontario,
intra-Quebec and France prefer to stay with friends and
family.
Visitors and the Montréal events, a long-lasting love
affair
This dynamism has very concrete impacts for several players in
the industry, particularly the Osheaga Festival, for example, which
broke a record of 147,000 festival-goers for its 2024 edition,
while a record of 68,554 tennis fans gathered for the IGA Family
Weekend.
Upcoming major events should help maintain the healthy growth
seen in the first half of summer 2024. Key moments that will
enliven the tourism landscape in the coming weeks include the
Rendez-vous gourmands, which will be held from August 23 to 25 at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the Red
Bull Cliff Diving World Series, which will take place at the Grand
Quay of the Port of Montréal from August 22
to 25, and the PGA Presidents Cup, which will welcome an
estimated crowd of some 35,000 golf fans from September 24 to 29.
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