For the January to May period, a 12.8% increase in travellers from overseas was recorded at Quebec borders. Meanwhile, the total traffic at Montreal-Trudeau Airport climbed by 4.9% for the January to May period.
MONTREAL – According to data compiled by Tourisme Montreal, 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 Quebec 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 Montreal and Beijing. The number of Chinese tourists entering Quebec 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 Montreal-Trudeau Airport climbed by 4.9% for the January to May period. Montreal 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 Quebec border increased by 20.9%. This surge in trans-border traffic is due to Tourisme Montreal's bold advertising efforts in the U.S. market and the advantageous economic situation. Tourisme Montreal launched the "Montreal 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 Montreal in 2016.
In addition, Tourisme Montreal'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 Montreal. 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 Montreal Hotel Association, for the January to June period, hotel room occupancy rates on the Island of Montreal 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 Montreal, as the vibrant city gears up for its 375 anniversary celebrations. Tourisme Montreal will be making the most of this unprecedented momentum to position Montreal at the top of go-to destinations," said Yves Lalumiere, President and CEO of Tourisme Montreal.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
