MONTREAL GETS AMBITIOUS

Tourisme Montreal is gearing up for the summer tourist season, unveiling its plans to invest over $10 million in a range of promotional initiatives designed to drive an ambitious tourist volume growth target of 2%. For the most part, these efforts will target the North-Eastern United States, Ontario and Quebec markets. Tourisme Montreal predicts that 8.5 million tourists will stay in Montreal in 2013, which will represent a 2% increase over last year. Tourist expenditures are projected to reach $2.5 million in 2013, an increase of 4.7% from 2012. Tourism in two particularly profitable sectors, namely conventions and cruises, are expected to grow by 9%. To support this growth, the organization will focus on broadcasting unique Montreal experiences, using the new hashtag #MTLMOMENTS to highlight original and authentic city “moments” experienced by tourists and Montrealers alike. The honourable Charles Lapointe, president and CEO of Tourisme Montreal, said: “In the age of social media, consumer habits are changing and as such, so must the role of tourism bureaus. At Tourisme Montreal, we want to be the megaphone for everyone and anyone who makes Montreal the stimulating city it is today, and spread the word far and wide about what visitors experience when they are here with us.” Go to http://www.tourisme-montreal.org for more.