Tourism boom in sight this summer in Montreal

Montreal will welcome up to eight million tourists this year, up about 70% compared to last year, forecasts Tourisme Montreal, which is delighted to finally see the hotels of the metropolis fill up with customers. But the return to the pre-pandemic situation will not take place before 2024.

Simon Chabot
The Press

After 30 lean months, Montreal’s tourism industry finally seems to be getting better in view of the summer. “We had it hard, but we kept all our hotels and all our festivals,” Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal, said at a press conference on Tuesday. “We are even surprised by the speed at which tourists come back. We are very happy. »

The effect of the end of the main restrictions on international travel and the return of major summer events is already being felt in Montreal hotels. For the Grand Prix (weekend of June 17), 97% of the rooms have already found takers. Tourisme Montréal announces an occupancy rate of 89% for the Osheaga Festival (July 29 to 31) and 85% for the International Jazz Festival (June 30 to July 9). For the whole of the summer, the occupancy rate should reach 70%, and the average price of a room will exceed that of 2019.

The resumption of international flights will also encourage the arrival of thousands of visitors to Montreal in the months to come. Air Canada has thus announced the return of 27 air routes. New flights between the metropolis and San Diego, Milan, Seattle and Nashville have just or are about to be launched. Air Transat recently inaugurated a Montreal-Los Angeles route. In July, more than 31,000 seats will connect Montreal and France every week. The same month, some 58,000 seats will be offered weekly between metropolitan France and airports in the United States.

The return of cruises on the St. Lawrence, with 16 ships making 45 stopovers in the port this summer, will attract up to 50,000 visitors and generate $30 million in economic spinoffs. This is half as much as before the pandemic, but forecasts for 2023 point to sustained growth in this sector.

After the pandemic, the shortage

It is no longer the pandemic that is holding back the recovery in tourism, but the shortage of labour. “We still need 2,000 or 3,000 people in the hotel and catering industry, explains Yves Lalumière. And the situation is a little more difficult in restaurants. »

Tourisme Montréal does not believe that the gastronomic reputation of the metropolis is in danger, for the moment. The return to the city center of employees of the federal and provincial governments would still give a serious helping hand to restaurateurs, judge Mr. Lalumière.

Even if the indicators are all green, it will be necessary to wait until the summer of 2024 to regain the tourist influx before the pandemic, forecasts Tourisme Montréal. As for business tourism, the return to normal will even have to wait until 2025. Until then, the organization intends to multiply visibility campaigns, even if it means making deficits.

Tourisme Montréal announced its forecasts as part of the launch of its summer season on the theme “A thousand and one moments to share”, Tuesday at the Grand Quai du Vieux-Port. In addition to the return of major cultural festivals, the coming months will be marked by major conventions, including that of Lions Clubs International and the 24^and International AIDS Conference, and several sporting events, including the NHL draft session, the Copley Group Triathlon World Championship, the National Bank Tennis Open and the Quebec and Montreal Cycling Grands Prix of the International Cycling Union.