Tourism | The Grand Prix was full of Montrealers

A certain perception could lead one to believe that the Canadian Grand Prix attracts strictly foreign visitors. Or that he is shunned by Montrealers.

Rather the opposite is happening. In 2023, the event has doubled its number of spectators established within a 40 km radius of the metropolis compared to 2019, reveal new attendance figures provided to The Press by Tourisme Montréal.

The organization occasionally sponsors, with the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau and the Octane Racing Group, a study of the economic benefits linked to the Grand Prix. The previous one dated from 2019, the last presentation of the race at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit before the double cancellation (2020 and 2021) attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the new data collection, we learn that just over 80,000 “local” spectators attended the Grand Prix weekend in 2023, an increase of just over 40,000 people compared to 2019. This is the most marked increase among the groups recorded, ahead of Canadians established outside Quebec (+12,426, a jump of 53%), Quebecers established outside Montreal (+4092, or 25%) and international visitors non-American (+1314, or 9%).

“This shows that interest among Montrealers is growing,” analyzes Yves Lalumière, president and general manager of Tourisme Montréal. It’s important to us. »

Montreal visitors are not the most “paying” for the local economy, since the money they pay to attend the Grand Prix, if they did not attend, they would probably spend it elsewhere in the region. No matter, Mr. Lalumière insists on the “balance” to be sought between the different spectator profiles.

“Knowing that Montrealers are more interested gives us peace of mind,” he said. These people are ambassadors, good influencers. We love this sharing. It brings a beautiful harmony. »

That being said, the leader is equally, if not more, delighted with the 53% increase in the Canadian public coming from outside Quebec. ” It is enormous. We are very, very happy with that,” he summarizes.

Conversely, the number of American spectators has fallen considerably: from 23,400 in 2019, they fell to 18,766 in 2023, a drop of 19%.

Without analyzing this phenomenon in depth, Mr. Lalumière attributes it mainly to the creation of two additional Grands Prix south of the border in recent years – the events of Miami, in 2022, and Las Vegas, in 2023, are added to that of Austin.

Rising

On the financial side, increases were recorded on almost all levels, starting with the economic benefits.

From 63.2 million in 2019, the impact on Quebec’s GDP increased to 67.4 million in 2023, an increase of 6.6%. In the meantime, tax revenues returned to the different levels of government saw a similar increase (6.3%), from 16 to 17 million.

In total, the organization calculates that “centered visitors”, i.e. those who were in the metropolis strictly for the event, spent a little more than 92 million at the race site and in the city center, an increase by 13%. A figure that Yves Lalumière considers “conservative”, although pleasing since it was, in 2023, only the second post-COVID presentation of the event.

The hotel occupancy rate fell slightly, from 89.6% to 88.5%, even if the number of nights increased slightly – less quickly than the available supply, in short. The explosion in the value of these nights (from $322 to $568), however, saw hoteliers’ total revenues skyrocket.

The CEO of Tourisme Montréal expects these figures to rise further in 2024: he suggests that the occupancy rate for this weekend will be around 95%.

“The Grand Prix is ​​really on a good run, with modernized facilities and a promoter who has increased the offer. Everything goes together. »

After its two canceled presentations, Canada’s most important tourism event “comes a long way.” Interest in the metropolis seems to have fully resumed.

“We have a great story,” concludes Mr. Lalumière.