By
Rebecca Gibson |
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ SS Navigator closed the port of Montréal’s record 2015 cruise season on 29 October.
Since the 2015 season opened on 12 May, the Canadian port has welcomed 73 cruise calls, 29 more than in 2014. According to preliminary numbers, more than 92,000 passengers and crew members passed through the cruise terminal, representing a nearly 30% increase over the 2014 season and a 94% hike since the Montréal Cruise Committee was created in 2011. Around 72% of visitors were American, 8.5% were Australian, 7.5% were Canadian and 4.5% were English.
“Much to the delight of local business owners, a flood of tourists poured through the city’s streets this year,” said Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. “Hotels also benefited from this high-value clientele, as many travellers extended their trips and stayed a few extra nights in Montréal. I would like to applaud the excellent work we’ve seen from the Montréal Cruise Committee, whose main objective is to attract international-calibre cruise lines to Montréal.”
Montréal is also set for a busy 2016, with scheduled calls indicating that numbers could be just as high as this year.
“Once again, the numbers prove that Montréal’s cruise market is growing rapidly, generating significant economic spin-offs for the entire city,” said Sylvie Vachon, president and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority. “I’d like to thank the Montréal Cruise Committee, as these results are in large part thanks to its efforts. At the Montréal Port Authority, we continue to work on the restoration of the Alexandra Pier and the maritime terminal, which will position Montréal as an international port of call that offers outstanding quality to cruise lines and travellers.”