MONTREAL – Unfriendly weather has many Montrealers jetting to the airport, but it doesn’t appear to deter tourists from visiting the city.
For Montreal’s residents, the sun has, in recent weeks, been about as absent as construction cones have been omnipresent. And for many, this has meant choosing to leave, if only for a few days or weeks, for greener – and sunnier – pastures.
“It’s certainly had an impact.”
Montreal has also experienced rampant clouds and rain and lower-than-average temperatures in the last month.
The minimal daily temperature difference when compared to other years (less than half a degree) is somewhat misleading, as nights have been warmer than usual. Daytime – which is when most people are outside and active – has seen a noticeable drop, said Andre Cantin, warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment Canada.
This, in turn, seems to have changed residents’ travelling plans.
“It’s certainly had an impact,” confided Club Voyages Selectour’s Patricia Corcos, a 25-year veteran of the travel industry who claimed that her agency is “already seeing a difference” in customer behaviour compared to previous years.
There is a caveat, however. A person’s “budget has to allow for travelling” abroad, Corcos said. People will certainly be tempted to leave for destinations that have friendlier weather, but “not at any cost.”
“We have seen a clear increase in the number of trips to southern spots.”
Dominic Cianni, of the travel agency 1001, shared similar observations. “We have seen a clear increase in the number of trips to southern spots,” which are usually more popular during winter, he said.
Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico – in that order – have proven the most popular among customers. “I would say that 60 per cent of that is due to the weather we have had here,” Mr. Cianni added. And the other 40 per cent? His answer sounds familiar: “price.”
Interestingly, though, for all the travelling abroad encouraged by pervasive grey skies, they don’t appear to have much of a deterring effect on visitors coming in. “As long as bad weather doesn’t disrupt flights, it has little impact on tourism,” said Alexandra Graveline of Tourisme Montreal. Most tourists plan their trip to Montreal ahead of time, especially for big-ticket attractions.
Graveline notes that for the most recent of these high-profile events, the Grand Prix, “hotel room occupation rates were very good.”
Indeed, the Hotel Association of Greater Montreal’s numbers largely support her claim – occupation rates reached close to 87 per cent over the event’s four nights, a small increase over the previous year.
So what is to be expected once summer officially kicks in on Thursday? Environment Canada’s weather expert had good news – at least in the short term. The next two weeks should see a return to sunshine and to pleasant, more normal temperature levels.
So just what is in store for sun-hungry Montrealers? Only time will really tell. Tourisme Montreal’s Graveline’s attitude voiced a hope shared by many: “we’re keeping our fingers crossed.”
And if that doesn’t suffice? Well, some may just reach for their plane tickets.
What are your plans for the holidays? Hot vacay? Cottage visit? Camping? Staycation? Let us know in the comments section below or on Facebook here.
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