(Montreal) Tourisme Montréal is partnering with Cirque du Soleil for the next few years to boost the attractiveness of the Quebec metropolis, hoping to take advantage of the entertainment company’s international reputation.
Posted at 3:42 p.m.
Updated at 6:06 p.m.
The partnership announced Wednesday aims for collaboration and commercial reciprocity between the two organizations, for two years, with an option of an additional year.
Tourisme Montréal particularly wants to take advantage of Cirque performances in major markets such as London, Toronto or Los Angeles to “get people to think about Montréal”, indicated the president and CEO of the tourism organization, Yves Lalumière.
In exchange, the Cirque du Soleil will be able to benefit from the platforms of Tourisme Montréal and the arrival of delegates in the city, for example, to promote the creativity and talents of its artists.
“It’s a very win-win agreement,” said Cirque president Stéphane Lefebvre during the joint announcement under the marquee that will host the show “KOOZA” at the Old Port this spring. from Montreal.
Concretely, the way in which this visibility will take shape for the two organizations remains to be determined. Mr. Lalumière nevertheless spoke, among other things, of content integration, targeted communications inside the tents and the use of digital platforms.
The agreement is an investment of approximately $250,000 per year for Tourisme Montréal. According to Mr. Lalumière, the value of the partnership “greatly exceeds” what is expected in terms of economic benefits for the city.
“For us, what we receive in exchange is really privileged, considering the notoriety and the impact of Cirque on our markets”, he maintained.
Since the end of 2020, Cirque du Soleil has belonged to a group of creditors led by the Toronto firm Catalyst Capital Group.
Mr. Lefebvre mentioned that the collaboration has nothing to do with the new ownership structure of the company, which still retains its head office in Montreal, although it is in the hands of financial interests from outside the Quebec.
“It’s part of our DNA to give back to the community. It’s really a desire on our part to offer as much visibility as possible in Montreal,” he replied, questioned whether the partnership was also intended to remind us that Cirque du Soleil still has a Montreal identity and Quebec.
“Montreal is definitely seen as a circus capital versus no other destination, in my opinion, in North America,” added Mr. Lalumière.
Reconnect with the Quebec public
Cirque du Soleil is preparing its return to Old Montreal after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.
The show “KOOZA” will be presented from May 12 to August 14. Over 90,000 tickets have been sold so far.
The production has been seen by millions of people around the world. “KOOZA” is a creation “very anchored in the artistic roots” of the company, described Mr. Lefebvre.
“An extremely energetic spectacle,” he added. It’s a show, I think, that is perfect for coming back here and reconnecting as quickly as possible with our fans here in Montreal. »
Cirque du Soleil has a 10-year agreement with the Old Port of Montreal to present new creations or classics.
He also has a several-year agreement with the Cogeco amphitheater in Trois-Rivières where he is to present a show this summer paying tribute to the great female voices of Quebec song.
Since the relaunch of its activities last summer, the circus group has experienced “a good start” and “enthusiasm”, indicated Mr. Lefebvre.
“Even outside of Montreal, there were a lot of people paying attention and looking forward to seeing Cirque du Soleil reborn,” he said.
This article was produced with the financial support of the Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.