The sun was blazing, many terrasses were open and the Old Port was packed with people taking in the sites on Friday, many of them from the United States.
“It reminds me a lot of when we were in Paris. I really enjoy that kind of look and feel,” Ohio resident Michelle Fuchik said.
Last year, 11 million tourists descended on the city, according to Tourisme Montreal. Officials think that number can be beat in 2024.
“Everything indicates that we’re going to continue increasing that tourist traffic,” said Glenn Castanheira, director of Montreal Centre-Ville.
Friday at Place Jacques Cartier, one could barely walk 10 steps without running into a tour group.
“Oh, it’s so beautiful. It’s so beautiful,” artist Manjit Singh Chatrik said.
Chatrik says he’s been painting with watercolour for 50 years. He paints in his studio all winter long so he can sell his works out in the popular plaza during tourist season. He said he can make hundreds of dollars each day from the thousands of passersby.
“I’m very, very excited. Every year I wait for this time,” he told Global News.
More direct flights to Montreal from the U.S. and other countries will be landing this year, and the strength of the U.S. dollar is appealing to Americans.
“Our neighbours south of the border have quite a positive incentive to come to Montreal,” Castanheira said.
He said last year, hotels were 80 per cent booked and he is confident that number will be reached again, as many hotels have been upgraded and updated. There are multiple new, modern establishments as well.
Another consistent draw is Montreal’s renowned culinary scene. Claudia Fiorilli just moved her Caribbean restaurant Kwizinn from Verdun to Old Montreal and is hoping tourists help make it successful.
“We’re hoping for tons of people to come to the Old Port and enjoy the outdoors,” she said.
The summer is absolutely vital for restaurants.
“For them, it’s 50 per cent of the whole year’s business,” Dominique Tremblay of the Quebec Restaurant Association said.
You might wonder if our many orange cones could scare tourists away, but according to Castanheira, they have more of an impact on locals than visitors.
One thing that is raising concern, however, is the possibility of wildfire smoke coming back.
“When Montreal had the worst air quality in North America, it was number one news all around the world. That affected us badly,” Castanheira said.
He’s hoping the forecast includes clear skies and millions of foreign dollars being injected into the local economy.