Positive Tourism Numbers: Montréal a Choice Destination for International Tourists

MONTRÉAL, Aug. 2, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - According to data compiled by Tourisme Montréal, the city's tourism industry has been performing very well since the beginning of the year. Statistics confirm high volumes of tourists from overseas and an increase in visitors from the United States, as well as a trend among Canadians to travel within the country. Business travel has also been a key contributor to this success. Here's a detailed look at the main indicators.

Increase from international markets
For the January to May period, a 12.8% increase in travellers from overseas was recorded at Québec borders. This includes a 16.45% increase in German visitors, a 7% increase in British visitors and a 4.1% increase in visitors from Francophone Europe (France, Switzerland and Belgium). The Chinese market also performed very well thanks to the addition of a direct flight between Montréal and Beijing. The number of Chinese tourists entering Québec jumped by 197% between January and May. By the end of 2016, the Conference Board of Canada expects this market to have increased by 17%.

Meanwhile, the total traffic at Montréal-Trudeau Airport climbed by 4.9% for the January to May period. Montréal welcomed more than 7.9 million passengers during this period, benefitting the tourism industry within the city and throughout the entire province.

Notable presence of American tourists
From January to May 2016, the number of American tourists entering the country by car at the Québec border increased by 20.9%. This surge in trans-border traffic is due to Tourisme Montréal's bold advertising efforts in the U.S. market and the advantageous economic situation. Tourisme Montréal launched the "Montréal Ignites" campaign in New York at the beginning of the summer. Featuring the tagline "Meet the other city that never sleeps," this campaign targets millennials from the North Western U.S. and encourages them to visit Montréal in 2016.

In addition, Tourisme Montréal's digital platforms have also seen a 20% spike in traffic. This is a testament to the interest generated by recent marketing campaigns targeting the U.S., Ontario and French markets.

Busy business market
The business travel sector has also been very active since the beginning of the year, with nearly 34,000 delegates arriving in Montréal. Several conferences, business meetings and sporting events, such as Rendez-Vous Canada 2016 and the American Counseling Association's Annual Conference, boosted the city's total number of business travelers.

Finally, according to the latest statistics from the Greater Montréal Hotel Association, for the January to June period, hotel room occupancy rates on the Island of Montréal were near 70.0%, marking a 0.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

"Tourism is one of the most promising industries in Canada. This is especially true for Montréal, as the vibrant city gears up for its 375 anniversary celebrations. Tourisme Montréal will be making the most of this unprecedented momentum to position Montréal at the top of go-to destinations," said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. 

About Tourisme Montréal 
Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position Montréal as a 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.
For more information, visit www.mtl.org.

SOURCE Tourisme Montréal