The solar eclipse and good weather forecasts are bringing good business to Montreal hotels, which have recorded a “huge” and unexpected increase in reservations in recent days.
• Read also: Everything you need to know about the total eclipse of April 8, 2024
According to the most recent data from Tourisme Montréal obtained by The newspaperthe occupancy rate of hotels in the metropolis for Sunday and Monday will be between 70% and 75%.
Nina Servan-Schreiber, Elisabetta Cornacchia, Yolande Meessen, Phil Sours, Boston residents on their way to Montreal on Saturday, to see the April 8 solar eclipse.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY YOLANDE MESSEN
This is a “huge” increase, because this rate is normally around 55% during these days in April, says Aurélie de Blois, spokesperson for Tourisme Montréal. “We strongly feel the enthusiasm for the eclipse in Montreal,” she summarizes.
“A great surprise”
This increase was practically not visible a week ago. These tourists therefore planned their stay at the last minute, probably because of the weather forecast which suggests clear skies in the region.
“Several people were waiting to see if the weather was going to be better in the United States or in southern Quebec,” explains M.me from Blois. We can imagine that it will continue to climb, because the quality of observation of the eclipse is closely linked to the weather which is variable.
Aurélie de Blois, public relations and media advisor, at Tourisme Montréal.
Photo taken from LinkedIn
Montreal is on a short list of large cities where it will be possible to observe the total solar eclipse Monday afternoon.
Josée Lelièvre, vice-president of the Ruby Foo’s hotel on Décarie Boulevard, also notes a 15% increase in reservations for Sunday and Monday.
She notices that there are many families coming mainly from Ontario, the United States, but also from Quebec.
“We didn’t expect that. We hadn’t even talked about it among ourselves. It’s a nice surprise. We are happy,” said M.me Hare.
“Superb opportunity” for Americans
Among the tourists who converge on Montreal, there are the American couple Yolande Meessen and Phil Sours who live in Boston.
The newspaper spoke to them while they were on the road north on Saturday, accompanied by two other Bostonians Nina Servan-Schreiber and Elisabetta Cornacchia with whom they carpool.
“I have always been interested in astronomy. I still have magazines from when we landed on the Moon. For me, it’s a great opportunity to travel and be in Montreal and we love the city,” explains Mr. Sours, who takes the opportunity to visit his daughter who lives here.
“We wanted to go to Vermont because it was closer, but unfortunately there are a lot of people who want to go there. I decided yesterday to go to Montreal,” explains M.me Servan-Schreiber, who studies space weather.