Despite summer nearing its end, Montreal continues to be a hot-spot destination for tourists this season.
The latest figures, according to Tourisme Montréal’s midsummer report, show that tourists are flocking once again to the city in pre-pandemic numbers.
Hotel occupancy rates currently are sitting at 80 per cent.
“There is a difference in terms of our clientele. There is a lot more international visitors from very diverse countries,” Yves Lalumière, CEO and president of Tourisme Montréal, said.
“We are attracting a lot more families. We are also seeing a lot more young and single people as well because of the intensity of the music festival scene.”
The majority of tourists visiting Montreal continue to be from the United States and France.
There has been a 10 per cent increase in tourists visiting from a broad from areas such as Mexico, Brazil and the United Kingdom.
Tourisme Montréal credits the rise in numbers to the many popular summer festivals and sporting events.
Lalumière points to big-ticket international events such as Osheaga, the National Bank Open, Just For Laughs and the Grand Prix as major draws.
The majority of this year’s events saw record-breaking attendance levels.
Tourisme Montréal estimates 9.5 million tourists will stop by Montreal before the season is over.
Officials project $4 billion in economic spinoffs will be generated in the tourism industry this year.
Lalumière says he is optimistic for the remainder of the summer season, with the trend going strong into October.
Projections show an increase of six per cent in arrivals to Montreal’s international airport for the next two months, Lalumière says.
“We’re very happy at this point of the season. August and September are very strong,” Lalumière said.