2015 an exceptional year for tourism in Montréal: 9.6 million tourists visit the city

01/02/2016 05:00

MONTRÉAL, Febr. 1, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Tourisme Montréal today released a report indicating that 2015 was an exceptional year for tourism in Montréal. The key performance indicators include the number of foreign tourists entering at the Quebec border, traffic volumes at Montréal-Trudeau Airport, hotel statistics for the Greater Montréal Area and the popularity of the city's attractions and festivals. Economic indicators are also up for the cruise and business travel markets. In all, the volume of tourists increased 3.2% over 2014.

"The influx of 9.6 million tourists in 2015 translated into $2.9 billion in tourist dollars for local shops, hotels, attractions and recreational venues. Excitement is building around Montréal, particularly as we approach 2017. I congratulate the Tourisme Montréal team and all of our partners for their excellent work in showcasing Montréal as such an attractive tourist destination," said Yves Lalumière, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tourisme Montréal.

Here is a summary of the key performance indicators:

Number of international tourists arriving by land: A 7.2% increase
From January to November, we saw an impressive 9.5% increase in the number of American tourists entering at the Quebec border. Arrivals by car represented the most significant hike, increasing by 12.5%. The number of foreign tourists from other countries also rose, this time by 3.4%.

Passenger traffic at Montréal-Trudeau Airport: A 4.6% increase
In 2015, for the first time in its history, Montréal-Trudeau Airport surpassed the 15-million passenger mark. Between January and November, the number of inbound and outbound passengers rose by 4.6%. While all markets showed an increase, the most notable was from the international market at 6.9%. The American market also jumped by 3.9%.

Hotel statistics: A 73% occupation rate
According to statistics from the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal, hotels in the Greater Montréal Area enjoyed a 73% average occupation rate from January to December 2015, which represents a 1.8% increase. The average room rate increased by 5.4% and reached $156.80, while accommodation revenues rose by 9% compared to the same period in 2014.

Successful attractions with outstanding line-ups
Local attractions recorded a 7% increase in attendance compared to 2014. Tourisme Montréal expects this trend to continue in 2016, the springboard year to 2017, when Montréal will be beaming with pride and feature an innovative schedule of events.

Cruise market: 73 cruise ship visits
The cruise market also performed well in 2015 with 73 cruise ship visits, which is 29 more than in 2014. More than 92,000 passengers and crew members transited through the cruise terminal in 2015, representing a nearly 30% increase over 2014.

Growing business market
Montréal also owes its encouraging numbers to strong results in the business and sports sectors. Montréal hosted several major conferences and events, including the Cisco Systems 2015 Annual Partner Summit and the World Irish Dancing Championships. This city also hosted a number of major sporting events, such as the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, which attracted sports fans from around the world.

Tourisme Montréal anticipates that the number of tourists coming to the city will grow by almost another 6% from 2016 to 2017, bringing the total number of annual visitors beyond 10 million.

About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position the "Montréal" destination on leisure and business travel markets. It is also responsible for developing Montréal's tourism product in accordance with the ever-changing conditions of the market.