Tourisme Montréal recently 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 per cent 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:
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.
Number of international tourists arriving by land: A 7.2 per cent increase
From January to November, we saw an impressive 9.5 per cent increase in the number of American tourists entering at the Quebec border. Arrivals by car represented the most significant hike, increasing by 12.5 per cent. The number of foreign tourists from other countries also rose, this time by 3.4 per cent.
Passenger traffic at Montréal-Trudeau Airport: A 4.6 per cent 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 per cent. While all markets showed an increase, the most notable was from the international market at 6.9 per cent. The American market also jumped by 3.9 per cent.
Hotel statistics: A 73 per cent occupation rate
According to statistics from the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal, hotels in the Greater Montréal Area enjoyed a 73 per cent average occupation rate from January to December 2015, which represents a 1.8 per cent increase. The average room rate increased by 5.4 per cent and reached $156.80, while accommodation revenues rose by nine per cent compared to the same period in 2014.
Successful attractions with outstanding line-ups
Local attractions recorded a seven per cent 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 per cent increase over 2014.
Tourisme Montréal anticipates that the number of tourists coming to the city will grow by almost another six per cent from 2016 to 2017, bringing the total number of annual visitors beyond 10 million.
